bilateral
adjective
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Since the prefix bi- means "two" in Latin, bilateral means essentially "two-sided". In the days when there were two superpowers, the U.S. and the Soviet Union regularly engaged in bilateral arms negotiations; such negotiations are much less common today. Sometimes bilateral refers to two sides of the same thing. A bilateral hip replacement, for instance, replaces both hip bones in the same operation. And bilateral symmetry (a term often used by biologists) refers to the fact that, in many organisms (such as humans), the left side is basically the mirror image of the right side.
Examples of bilateral in a Sentence
Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Mar. 2025
For Golden State, defense-first guard Gary Payton II is considered available to suit up with a bilateral nasal bone fracture.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 25 Mar. 2025
Similarly, the United States changed its approach from opposing barriers to most bilateral investment flows to severely restricting China’s investment in the United States and U.S. investment in certain sensitive sectors in China.
—Michael B. G. Froman, Foreign Affairs, 25 Mar. 2025
An end to the war – and, with it, protecting the flow of oil through pipelines vulnerable to attack – would benefit both members of this bilateral relationship.
—Christopher Tounsel, The Conversation, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bilateral
Cite this Entry
“Bilateral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bilateral. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.
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