adj. & n.
--adj.
1. of, at, towards, or from the side or sides.
2 descended from a brother or sister of a person in direct line.
--n. a side part etc., esp. a lateral shoot or branch.
Phrases and idioms:
lateral line Zool. a visible line along the side of a fish consisting of a series of sense organs acting as vibration receptors. lateral thinking a method of solving problems indirectly or by apparently illogical methods.
Derivatives:
laterally adv.
Etymology: L lateralis f. latus lateris side