unilateral

[ yoo-nuh-lat-er-uhl ]

adjective

1. relating to, occurring on, or involving one side only:

   unilateral development; a unilateral approach.

2. undertaken or done by or on behalf of one side, party, or faction only; not mutual:

   a unilateral decision; unilateral disarmament.

3. having only one side or surface; without a reverse side or inside, as a Möbius strip.
4. Law.
   1. pertaining to a contract that can be formed only when the party to whom an offer is made renders the performance for which the offeror bargains.
   2. pertaining to a contract in which obligation rests on only one party, as a binding promise to make a gift.
5. Botany. having all the parts disposed on one side of an axis, as an inflorescence.
6. through forebears of one sex only, as through either the mother's or father's line. Compare bilateral ( def 5 ).
7. Phonetics. (of an l -sound) characterized by passage of air on only one side of the tongue.

unilateral

/ ˌjuːnɪˈlætərəl /

adjective

1. of, having, affecting, or occurring on only one side
2. involving or performed by only one party of several

   unilateral disarmament

3. law (of contracts, obligations, etc) made by, affecting, or binding one party only and not involving the other party in reciprocal obligations
4. botany having or designating parts situated or turned to one side of an axis
5. sociol relating to or tracing the line of descent through ancestors of one sex only Compare bilateral
6. phonetics denoting an (l) sound produced on one side of the tongue only

Derived Forms

• ˌuniˈlateralism, noun
• ˌuniˈlaterally, adverb

Other Words From

• u·ni·lat·er·al·i·ty [yoo-n, uh, -lat-, uh, -, ral, -i-tee], noun
• u·ni·lat·er·al·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of unilateral¹

From the New Latin word ūnilaterālis, dating back to 1795–1805. See uni-, lateral

Example Sentences

Trump in recent days has suggested that the Senate should give him unilateral power to appoint all of his nominees through recess appointments, which do not need Senate approval.

From Los Angeles Times

A second Trump presidency will undoubtedly take unilateral presidential powers to a new level.

From Salon

Still, Trump can take unilateral steps to slow spending, and use federal regulatory powers to further hamper the rollout process.

From Salon

Sharing those details marked her “unilateral decision to usurp” the Mississippi court’s authority, he said.

From Los Angeles Times

If you stop lighting matches, that could be condemned as “unilateral disarmament.”

From Salon