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Synonyms

bilateral

American  
[bahy-lat-er-uhl] / baɪˈlæt ər əl /

adjective

  1. pertaining to, involving, or affecting two or both sides, factions, parties, or the like.

    a bilateral agreement; bilateral sponsorship.

  2. located on opposite sides of an axis; two-sided, especially when of equal size, value, etc.

  3. Biology. pertaining to the right and left sides of a structure, plane, etc.

  4. Chiefly Law. (of a contract) binding the parties to reciprocal obligations.

  5. through both parents equally.

    bilateral affiliation.

noun

  1. Informal. a bilateral agreement, especially regarding international trade.

bilateral British  
/ baɪˈlætərəl /

adjective

  1. having or involving two sides

  2. affecting or undertaken by two parties; mutual

    a bilateral treaty

  3. denoting or relating to bilateral symmetry

  4. having identical sides or parts on each side of an axis; symmetrical

  5. sociol relating to descent through both maternal and paternal lineage Compare unilateral

  6. relating to an education that combines academic and technical courses

  7. a bilateral meeting

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • bilateralism noun
  • bilaterally adverb
  • bilateralness noun

Etymology

Origin of bilateral

First recorded in 1765–75; bi- 1 + lateral

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Dar, who is also Pakistan's deputy prime minister, held separate bilateral talks with his counterparts -- Badr Abdelatty from Egypt, Hakan Fidan from Turkey, and Saudi Arabia's Faisal bin Farhan.

From Barron's • Mar. 29, 2026

The American and Cuban governments have held initial phases of bilateral talks aimed at ending the crisis, Díaz-Canel has confirmed, although it is unclear how they are progressing.

From BBC • Mar. 21, 2026

Meanwhile, fuel imports from Russia could remain stable due to its ample supply and close bilateral ties.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

Despite his tariffs, Japan still maintains a large bilateral trade surplus, especially in the automobile sector.

From Barron's • Mar. 18, 2026

In December, we began a new round of secret bilateral talks with the government.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.