bilateral
adjective
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Since the prefix bi- means "two" in Latin, bilateral means essentially "two-sided". In the days when there were two superpowers, the U.S. and the Soviet Union regularly engaged in bilateral arms negotiations; such negotiations are much less common today. Sometimes bilateral refers to two sides of the same thing. A bilateral hip replacement, for instance, replaces both hip bones in the same operation. And bilateral symmetry (a term often used by biologists) refers to the fact that, in many organisms (such as humans), the left side is basically the mirror image of the right side.
Examples of bilateral in a Sentence
Jennifer Jett, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024
In this capacity, the Chinese leadership can—and must—lead a collective effort to persuade Russia to secure its vulnerable warheads, drawing on its own expanding bilateral relationship with Moscow.
—William M. Moon, Foreign Affairs, 5 Nov. 2024
The Chinese ruling party's past anxieties over regime security played a significant role in the rapid deterioration of the bilateral relationship.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
The sources said the talks at the White House focused on U.S.-Saudi bilateral relations, especially a set of security, technology and economic agreements the parties want to sign before Biden leaves office.
—Barak Ravid, Axios, 4 Nov. 2024
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Dictionary Entries Near bilateral
Cite this Entry
“Bilateral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bilateral. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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