bilateral
adjective
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Definition of bilateral
1 : affecting reciprocally two nations or parties a bilateral treaty a bilateral trade agreement
2 : having two sides dealing with a bilateral problem
3 biology
a : of, relating to, or affecting the right and left sides of the body or the right and left members of paired organs bilateral nephrectomy
b : having bilateral symmetry
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Other words from bilateral
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noun
Examples of bilateral in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Describing himself as the spokesman for the United States there, Prado, who turns 71 in June, is helping smooth bilateral relations as the U.S. seeks to make the South American country more of an economic and political partner. — Guillermo Contreras, San Antonio Express-News, "From Edgewood High School to American diplomacy," 28 May 2018 Niinistö will also hold bilateral meetings with both leaders Monday. — BostonGlobe.com, "Trump arrives in Scotland for weekend at golf course," 13 July 2018 This year, according to Reuters, South Korea also paid about $857 million for the upkeep of U.S. troops under a 5-year bilateral cost sharing arrangement signed with the U.S. in 2014. — Time, "Inside Camp Humphreys, South Korea: America's Largest Overseas Military Base," 13 July 2018 Letting the treaty lapse would send an ominous signal, because every other part of the bilateral arms-control regime left over from the cold war is either dead or crumbling. — The Economist, "What Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin ought to talk about in Helsinki," 12 July 2018 This is obviously a game of chess to get China, the EU, Canada to bilateral negotiations to improve our standing on trade imbalances which for decades have gone pretty much ignored. — Lynn Brezosky, San Antonio Express-News, "Trade spats ‘new norm’ for sorghum growers, nail biter for Texas manufacturers," 6 July 2018 All parties support the government’s stance in Brexit negotiations: an orderly U.K. exit that protects Ireland’s fundamental interests, including trade and a strong bilateral relationship. — Amanda Sloat, Time, "Brexit Could Jeopardize Peace in Northern Ireland—and America Is Ignoring It," 29 June 2018 Another sore point in the bilateral relationship has been China’s ambitious global infrastructure plans, which include projects in New Delhi’s Indian Ocean backyard that domestic analysts worry have a strategic dimension. — Karthikeyan Sundaram, Bloomberg.com, "Trump's Trade War Pushes China Closer to Old Foe India," 28 June 2018 Merkel’s office said both leaders emphasized the importance of continued close bilateral cooperation. — Nicole Winfield, The Seattle Times, "New Italian govt vows to create jobs, deport migrants," 2 June 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bilateral.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for bilateral
bilateral
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of bilateral
: involving two groups or countries
See the full definition for bilateral in the English Language Learners Dictionary
bilateral
adjective
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Medical Definition of bilateral
1 : of, relating to, or affecting the right and left sides of the body or the right and left members of paired organs bilateral nephrectomy bilateral tumors of the adrenal glands
2 : having bilateral symmetry
Other words from bilateral
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noun
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noun
plural -ties
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adverb
bilateral
adjective
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Legal Definition of bilateral
: affecting, obligating, or shared by both parties
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