lateral

Lateral is an adjective derived from the Latin latus, meaning side. It denotes something related to, situated at, or extending toward the side relative to a reference point, usually the midline of an object or body. In general usage, it contrasts with medial, which means toward the center.

In anatomy and medicine, lateral describes structures away from the body's midline. Examples include the lateral malleolus at the outer ankle and the lateral aspect of a limb or joint. The term is also used in naming anatomical features, such as lateral ligaments or lateral ventricles. Lateralization refers to the tendency for certain functions or processes to be more dominant on one side of the body or brain, and the term appears in clinical contexts like lateral release procedures.

In biology and zoology, lateral can describe processes or structures occurring to the side. The lateral line is a sensory system running along the sides of fishes and some amphibians. In botany, lateral buds and lateral roots grow from the sides of stems and roots, respectively. Lateral gene transfer refers to the movement of genetic material between organisms other than direct parent-to-offspring inheritance.

In linguistics and phonetics, lateral refers to sounds produced with the side of the tongue against the teeth or palate, most notably the lateral consonant sound represented by the letter L. The concept also appears in discussions of lateralization of language functions in the brain.

In cognition and problem solving, lateral thinking denotes approaches that explore non-obvious or indirect solutions, a term popularized by Edward de Bono. In sports, a lateral pass is thrown sideways or backward, common in gridiron football and rugby.