unilateral

C1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˌjuːnɪˈlætərəl/ UK /ˌjuːnɪˈlætərəl/ See IPA manual

Freq #43663

Meanings

1

adj
affecting, occurring on, or involving only one side of the body or another structure

The patient developed unilateral weakness in the left arm and leg.
2

adj
done or decided by one party without the agreement or participation of others

The government announced a unilateral withdrawal from the negotiations.
3

adj
tracing kinship or descent through only the maternal line or only the paternal line

The anthropologist documented a unilateral descent system based on the mother's family.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · affecting, occurring on, or... one-sided

2 adj · done or decided by one... one-sided independent

3 adj · tracing kinship or descent... unilineal

Opposites

bilateralmultilateral

Word family

Derived forms unilaterallyunilateralismunilateralistunilaterality

Related forms lateral bilateralmultilateralone-sided

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

unilateral paralysis
loss of movement affecting one side of the body

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From New Latin unilateralis ("one-sided"), formed from Latin unus ("one") + lateralis ("of the side"). Political and diplomatic uses extend the literal anatomical idea to action taken by only one side.

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# unilateral

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˌjuːnɪˈlætərəl/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌjuːnɪˈlætərəl/
**Frequency rank:** 43663

## Meanings
1. affecting, occurring on, or involving only one side of the body or another structure
2. done or decided by one party without the agreement or participation of others
3. tracing kinship or descent through only the maternal line or only the paternal line

## Examples
- The patient developed unilateral weakness in the left arm and leg.
- The government announced a unilateral withdrawal from the negotiations.
- The anthropologist documented a unilateral descent system based on the mother's family.

## Synonyms
- one-sided
- independent
- unilineal

## Antonyms
- bilateral
- multilateral

## Derived Forms
- unilaterally
- unilateralism
- unilateralist
- unilaterality

## Related Forms
- lateral
- bilateral
- multilateral
- one-sided

## Roots and Affixes
- Affix: uni- - one

## Etymology
From New Latin unilateralis ("one-sided"), formed from Latin unus ("one") + lateralis ("of the side"). Political and diplomatic uses extend the literal anatomical idea to action taken by only one side.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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