multilateral

[ muhl-ti-lat-er-uhl ]

adjective

1. having several or many sides; many-sided.
2. participated in by more than two nations, parties, etc.; multipartite:

   multilateral agreements on disarmament.

multilateral

/ ˌmʌltɪˈlætərəl; -ˈlætrəl /

adjective

1. of or involving more than two nations or parties

   a multilateral pact

2. having many sides

Derived Forms

• ˌmultiˈlaterally, adverb

Other Words From

• multi·later·al·ism noun
• multi·later·al·ist adjective noun
• multi·later·al·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of multilateral¹

First recorded in 1690–1700; multi- + lateral

Example Sentences

Covax, a multilateral initiative, was set up to help develop, fund, and equitably distribute vaccines.

From Vox

When Democrats have the keys, big, multilateral agreements are the order of the day.

From Time

He pledged support for multilateral institutions, promised to challenge dictators and to focus on our issues in committee hearings.

From Washington Blade

We can see it on the global stage where in multilateral organizations, it is not a given that the democracies have the majority of votes or, or voices.

From MIT Technology Review

Absent multilateral funding, developing economies have been unable to match the stimulus efforts of their rich world counterparts.

From MIT Technology Review

But we should start sharing that burden with other nations and multilateral organizations more than we have.

From The Daily Beast

“The fact is, President Obama has consistently demonstrated his commitment to multilateral diplomacy,” Rice said.

From The Daily Beast

The multilateral governance system remains largely unreformed and apparently immune to changes in business practice.

From The Daily Beast

Assess the variables of unilateral U.S. action or bilateral/multilateral action.

From The Daily Beast

Asking for recognition by the 192 countries of the U.N., by contrast, is the very definition of “multilateral.”

From The Daily Beast

Such relaxations as took place in controls were changes that did not affect the multilateral embargo.

From Project Gutenberg

The 70s witnessed a proliferation of multilateral assistance programs.

From Project Gutenberg

The word "multilateral" (many-sided) is a translation of the Greek polypleuros.

From Project Gutenberg

Triangles are of three kinds, the equilateral or three-sided, the quadrilateral or four-sided, and the multilateral or polyglot.

From Project Gutenberg

It will enable the whole sterling area and other countries affiliated with it to resume trade on a multilateral basis.

From Project Gutenberg