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unilateral. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
unilateral, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
unilateral in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
unilateral you have here. The definition of the word
unilateral will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
unilateral, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology
A modern creation (circa 1802), from New Latin ūnilaterālis (“one-sided”), from Latin ūnus (“one”) + laterālis (“sided, lateral”), equivalent to uni- + lateral.
Pronunciation
Adjective
unilateral (comparative more unilateral, superlative most unilateral)
- Done by one side only.
2010, Roger D. Blair, Jeffrey L. Harrison, “The Antitrust Laws and Monopsonistic Forms of Conduct”, in Monopsony in Law and Economics, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, section 2.4 (A Taxonomy of Monopsony Cases), page 29:For purposes of evaluating monopsony cases from the standpoint of economic efficiency, it makes sense to adopt a "purpose"-oriented classification system. After all, all monopsony cases can be reduced to either a unilateral or collusive use of buying power in order to promote the interests of the buyer.
- Affecting only one side of the body.
- Binding or affecting one party only.
Synonyms
Derived terms
Translations
See also
Catalan
Etymology
From uni- + lateral.
Pronunciation
Adjective
unilateral m or f (masculine and feminine plural unilaterals)
- unilateral
Derived terms
Further reading
- “unilateral”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], 2007 April
- “unilateral”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2025.
- “unilateral” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
- “unilateral” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.
Danish
Pronunciation
Adjective
unilateral
- unilateral
Further reading
Galician
Etymology
From uni- + lateral.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /u.ni.la.tɛˈɾal/
- Rhymes: -al
- Hyphenation: u‧ni‧la‧te‧ral
Adjective
unilateral m or f (plural unilaterais)
- unilateral
- Antonym: bilateral
Derived terms
Further reading
German
Pronunciation
Adjective
unilateral (strong nominative masculine singular unilateraler, not comparable)
- unilateral
Declension
Positive forms of unilateral (uncomparable)
Derived terms
Further reading
- “unilateral” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
- “unilateral” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
Indonesian
Etymology
Internationalism, lateral + uni-, from New Latin ūnilaterālis (“one-sided”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /u.ni.la.tə.ˈral/
- Rhymes: -ral
- Hyphenation: u‧ni‧la‧tê‧ral
Adjective
unilatêral (comparative lebih unilateral, superlative paling unilateral)
- unilateral
- Synonym: sehala (Standard Malay)
Further reading
Piedmontese
Pronunciation
Adjective
unilateral
- unilateral
Portuguese
Etymology
From uni- + lateral.
Pronunciation
- Rhymes: (Portugal) -al, (Brazil) -aw
- Hyphenation: u‧ni‧la‧te‧ral
Adjective
unilateral m or f (plural unilaterais)
- unilateral (affecting only one side)
- one-sided; partial (biased in favour of one faction)
- Synonym: parcial
- (of a contract or interaction) unilateral (binding or affecting one party only)
Derived terms
Further reading
- “unilateral” in Dicionário Aberto based on Novo Diccionário da Língua Portuguesa de Cândido de Figueiredo, 1913
Romanian
Etymology
Borrowed from French unilatéral. By surface analysis, uni- + lateral.
Pronunciation
Adjective
unilateral m or n (feminine singular unilaterală, masculine plural unilaterali, feminine and neuter plural unilaterale)
- unilateral
- Binding or affecting one party only.
Declension
Spanish
Etymology
From uni- + lateral.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /unilateˈɾal/
- Rhymes: -al
- Syllabification: u‧ni‧la‧te‧ral
Adjective
unilateral m or f (masculine and feminine plural unilaterales)
- unilateral
Derived terms
Further reading
Swedish
Adjective
unilateral (not comparable)
- unilateral
Further reading