Definition of collateral
1a : accompanying as secondary or subordinate : concomitant digress into collateral mattersb : indirect no direct objection, but a few collateral onesc : serving to support or reinforce : ancillary collateral evidence was presented at the trial
2 : belonging to the same ancestral stock but not in a direct line of descent — compare lineal 3a Brothers, cousins, uncles, and nephews are collateral kinsmen.
3 : parallel, coordinate, or corresponding in position, order, time, or significance collateral states like Athens and Sparta
4a : of, relating to, or being collateral used as security (as for payment of a debt or performance of a contract)b : secured by collateral a collateral loan secured by stocks and bonds deposited with the lender
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Examples of collateral in a Sentence
the collateral effects of the government's policies
Did You Know?
If an official talking about some policy refers to a collateral issue, he or she means something that may be affected but isn't central to the discussion. To an anthropologist, your cousin would be called a collateral relative, since he or she (unlike your grandmother, brother, or daughter) is "off to the side" of your direct line of descent. As a noun, collateral means something provided to a lender as a guarantee of repayment. So if you take out a loan or mortgage to buy a car or house, the loan agreement usually states that the car or house is collateral that goes to the lender if the sum isn't paid.
Origin and Etymology of collateral
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin collateralis, from Latin com- + lateralis lateral
Other Anthropology Terms
collateral
Definition of collateral
1 : a collateral relative A collateral inherited the estate.
2 : property (such as securities) pledged by a borrower to protect the interests of the lender
3 : a branch of a bodily part (such as a vein)
Origin and Etymology of collateral
see 1collateral
Other Business Terms
COLLATERAL Defined for English Language Learners
collateral
playDefinition of collateral for English Language Learners
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: related but not in a direct or close way
collateral
Definition of collateral for English Language Learners
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: something that you promise to give someone if you cannot pay back a loan
Medical Dictionary
Medical Definition of collateral
1: relating to or being branches of a bodily part collateral sprouting of nerves
2: relating to or being part of the collateral circulation collateral circulatory vessels collateral blood flow
collateral
Medical Definition of collateral
1: a branch especially of a blood vessel, nerve, or the axon of a nerve cell excitation of axon collaterals
2: a bodily part (as a ligament) that is lateral in position
Law Dictionary
Legal Definition of collateral
1a : accompanying as a secondary fact, activity, or agency but subordinate to a main consideration b : not directly relevant or material a collateral evidentiary matter a collateral issue
2 : belonging to the same ancestral stock but not in a direct line of descent — compare lineal
3a : of, relating to, or being collateral used as a security (as for payment of a debt) b : secured by collateral a collateral loan
collaterally
adjectivecollateral
Legal Definition of collateral
1 : a collateral relative
2 : property pledged by a borrower to protect the interests of the lender in the event of the borrower's default; specifically under Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code : property subject to a security interest
Learn More about collateral
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Spanish Central: Translation of collateral Nglish: Translation of collateral for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of collateral for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about collateral
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