Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “lateral” come from?

Lateral comes from Latin lateralis, derived from Latin latus meaning side, from Proto-Italic tlātos, from Proto-Indo-European tl̥h₂tós, ultimately from the root telh₂-.

lateral (English): To the side; of or pertaining to the side;...

Definitions

  1. To the side; of or pertaining to the side;...

Ancestry of “lateral”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinlaterālis—
2Latinlātus—
3LatincaudaA tail
4Proto-Italickaudātail
5Proto-Indo-Europeankeh₂udeh₂—

Words derived from “lateral”

  • bilateral
  • multilateral
  • laterally
  • contralateral
  • ipsilateral
  • equilateral
  • bilaterally
  • multilateralism
  • posterolateral
  • dorsolateral
  • anterolateral
  • basolateral
  • lateralization
  • trilateral
  • ventrolateral
  • laterality
  • bilateralism
  • multilaterally
  • mediolateral
  • plurilateral
  • inferolateral
  • superolateral
  • multilateralist
  • ipsilaterally
Every word from Proto-Indo-European keh₂udeh₂ →