lateral

Definition of lateral

1of, at, towards, or from the side or sides:the plant takes up water through its lateral roots
Anatomy & Zoology situated on one side or other of the body or of an organ, especially in the region furthest from the median plane: the upper lateral incisor the radius lies lateral to the ulnaThe opposite of medial.
Medicine (of a disease or condition) affecting the side or sides of the body, or confined to one side of the body: lateral sclerosis
Physics acting or placed at right angles to the line of motion or of strain: the greater lateral forces encountered by the front wheel during cornering

2chiefly British involving lateral thinking:he’s very creative in a lateral way

3 Phonetics (of a consonant, especially the English clear l) pronounced with partial closure of the air passage by the tongue, which is so placed as to allow the breath to flow on one or both sides of the point of contact.

1a side part of something, especially a shoot or branch growing out from the side of a stem: cut back all the laterals to within two buds of the main stem

Derivatives

late Middle English: from Latin lateralis, from latus, later- 'side'

Definition of lateral in the US English dictionary