multilateral

adjective

mul·​ti·​lat·​er·​al ˌməl-tē-ˈla-t(ə-)rəl How to pronounce multilateral (audio)
-ˌtī-
1
: having many sides
2
: involving or participated in by more than two nations or parties
multilateral agreements
multilateralism noun
multilateralist noun
multilaterally adverb

Did you know?

Since lateral means "side", multilateral means basically "many-sided". The philosophy of multilateralism claims that the best solutions generally result when as many of the world's nations as possible are involved in discussions, and multilateralists often favor strengthening the United Nations. Today multilateralism can be seen at work in, for example, the World Health Organization, the World Trade Organization, and the International Criminal Court. But the U.S. doesn't always join the major multilateral organizations, instead often behaving as if a unilateral approach—that is, going it alone—was best for the interests of a powerful nation.

Examples of multilateral in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Trump administration is sure to shun multilateral trade deals and make bilateral agreements that are heavy on tariffs and focus on restricting U.S. market access and leveling the balance of trade. Kori Schake, Foreign Affairs, 8 Nov. 2024 Getting to a higher number, which is likely to total at least $200 billion to $300 billion per year, will require a mix of funds ranging from multilateral development bank financing to pledges from individual countries and private capital. Andrew Freedman, Axios, 4 Nov. 2024 Modi and Xi had not held formal bilateral talks since then, although both participated in multilateral events. Reuters, NBC News, 24 Oct. 2024 Moreover, development finance institutions and multilateral development banks can amplify these efforts by aligning their resources with philanthropic dollars and private investors. Klaus Schwab, TIME, 23 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for multilateral 

Word History

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of multilateral was in 1606

Dictionary Entries Near multilateral

Cite this Entry

“Multilateral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/multilateral. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

multilateral

adjective
mul·​ti·​lat·​er·​al ˌməl-ti-ˈlat-ə-rəl How to pronounce multilateral (audio)
-ˌtī-,
-ˈla-trəl
1
: having many sides
2
: involving or taken part in by more than two nations or groups
a multilateral treaty
multilaterally
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on multilateral

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