lateral
gb/lˈætɚəl/ us/lˈætɚəl/
B2
English
~ 9500
oldalsó, laterális, azonos szintű, horizontális, oldalpassz, azonos szintről érkező szakember, oldalsó mássalhangzó, laterális mássalhangzó
B2
1
Usage pattern:
a lateral [noun]
The surgeon made a small lateral incision along the side of the knee.
A sebész egy kis oldalsó metszést ejtett a térd oldalán.
From a lateral view, the building’s curved shape is more obvious.
Oldalnézetből az épület ívelt formája jobban látszik.
The athlete felt pain on the lateral side of his ankle after the fall.
Engineers added lateral support beams to stop the wall from leaning.
The study looked at the lateral spread of the fire across the forest.
Learner examples
The car was hit on the lateral side.
Az autót oldalt érte az ütközés.
We studied a lateral view of the skull in class.
Órán a koponya oldalsó nézetét tanulmányoztuk.
The wall needs more lateral support to stay straight.
The X-ray shows a lateral image of her leg.
He felt a sharp pain in the lateral part of his foot.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'lateral' (side) with 'literal' (not figurative). Another common mistake is using 'lateral' as an adverb, as in *'He moved lateral'*, instead of 'sideways' or 'laterally'.
Meaning
relating to the side
Collocations
lateral movement
|lateral view
|lateral line
|lateral support
|lateral pressure
|lateral thinking
Synonyms
side (Often used in compound adjectives like 'side view'; slightly more general and less technical than 'lateral'.)
|
sideways (Usually describes direction of movement rather than fixed position; more everyday and informal.)
Antonyms
central (Describes something located in or relating to the middle, not the side.)
|
frontal (Refers specifically to the front, contrasting with something on or from the side.)
Themes
space
|movement
|anatomy
|core_vocabulary
Definition
At, from, or toward the side of something, not the middle or the front.
Positioned at, coming from, or directed toward the side of something, rather than the center, front, or back.
B2
2
horizontális
C1
Usage pattern:
a lateral [move/transfer/hire]
She took a lateral move to marketing to broaden her skills.
Készségei bővítése érdekében egy azonos szintű váltással a marketingre ment át.
The company is open to lateral transfers between departments.
A cég nyitott az osztályok közötti azonos szintű áthelyezésekre.
He joined the firm as a lateral hire from a competing bank.
A lateral career move can help you gain new experience without losing seniority.
They encouraged managers to consider lateral development opportunities, not just promotions.
Learner examples
He made a lateral move from sales to HR.
Az értékesítésről HR-re ment át, azonos szintű pozícióba.
She asked for a lateral transfer to another office.
Azt kérte, hogy egy másik irodába helyezzék át azonos szintű pozícióba.
The law firm is looking for lateral hires this year.
A lateral move can give you new skills.
This job is a lateral step, not a promotion.
Common mistake:
Learners may think a 'lateral move' always means something negative, but it is neutral and often positive. Some also confuse 'lateral move' with 'promotion' and use them as if they were the same.
Meaning
at the same job level
Collocations
lateral move
|lateral transfer
|lateral hire
|lateral recruitment
|lateral career change
Synonyms
horizontal (Often used in business theory; more abstract and less common in everyday job talk than 'lateral'.)
|
sideways (Used informally in phrases like 'a sideways move'; can suggest lack of progress.)
Antonyms
promotional (Describes a move that raises someone to a higher level or rank, the opposite of staying at the same level.)
|
demotional (Describes a move to a lower position; contrasts with a same‑level lateral move.)
Themes
business
|work
Definition
Describing a job change where a person stays at the same level, not a promotion and not a lower job.
Describing a change, move, or hire that stays at the same level of rank or responsibility within or between organizations rather than going up or down.
NOUN
B2
3
oldalpassz
C1
Usage pattern:
to throw a lateral to [someone]
With time running out, the quarterback flipped a lateral to the running back.
Ahogy fogyott az idő, az irányító egy oldalpasszt adott a futónak.
The desperate play ended in a messy series of laterals across the field.
A kétségbeesett játék egy kusza oldalpassz-sorozatba fulladt a pályán keresztül.
He tried to throw a lateral, but the ball was fumbled and recovered by the defense.
They practiced a hook-and-lateral that started with a short pass and ended in a long run.
The coach warned them not to attempt a risky lateral so close to their own end zone.
Learner examples
The player threw a lateral to his teammate.
A játékos egy oldalpasszt dobott a csapattársának.
They scored after three quick laterals.
Három gyors oldalpassz után pontot szereztek.
He dropped the lateral and lost the ball.
The team practiced a special play with a lateral.
A bad lateral can change the game.
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'lateral' here means any pass to the side in any sport, but in common use it mainly refers to passes in American or Canadian football.
Meaning
sideways or backward football pass
Collocations
throw a lateral
|pitch a lateral
|a lateral pass
|hook-and-lateral
|last-second lateral
Synonyms
backward pass (More technical description; clearly states direction, but 'lateral' is the standard football term.)
Antonyms
forward pass (A pass thrown toward the opponent’s goal line, which contrasts with a sideways or backward lateral.)
Themes
sports
|communication
Definition
In American football, a pass where the ball is thrown sideways or back, not forward.
In American or Canadian football, a pass that is thrown or pitched sideways or backward to a teammate, rather than forward.
NOUN
C1
FORMAL
4
Usage pattern:
hire a lateral from [company/firm]
The law firm brought in a lateral from a top New York office.
Az ügyvédi iroda egy vezető New York-i irodából egy hasonló rangú ügyvédet csábított át.
As a lateral, she already had a strong client base and industry contacts.
Mivel azonos szintről érkező szakemberként vették fel, már eleve erős ügyfélkörrel és iparági kapcsolatokkal rendelkezett.
The partners debated whether to promote internally or recruit a lateral.
They are targeting laterals with five to seven years of experience in tax law.
Most of the new partners this year are laterals from competing firms.
Learner examples
The company hired a lateral from another bank.
A vállalat egy másik bankból érkező, azonos szintű szakembert vett fel.
He joined as a lateral, not as a new graduate.
Nem pályakezdőként csatlakozott, hanem egy másik cégtől azonos szintről érkező szakemberként.
They want a lateral with strong sales experience.
The firm is looking for laterals from big law firms.
As a lateral, she already knows the industry well.
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'lateral' always describes the job, not the person, and may say *'a lateral job'* when they mean 'a lateral' as a person or 'a lateral move' as the action.
Meaning
same-level external hire
Collocations
lateral from another firm
|lateral from a competitor
|lateral recruitment
|experienced lateral
|senior lateral
Synonyms
experienced hire (General HR term; may include higher or lower roles, while 'lateral' focuses on same-level moves.)
Antonyms
entry-level hire (Describes someone starting in a junior position, not moving across at a similar level.)
Themes
business
|work
Definition
A worker hired from another company into a job at the same level, not as a beginner.
A person who is hired into an organization from another organization at a similar level of seniority or responsibility, especially in professional services.
NOUN
C2
TECHNICAL
5
Usage pattern:
a lateral [consonant/sound]
In English, the sound /l/ is the most common lateral.
Az angolban az /l/ hang a leggyakoribb oldalsó mássalhangzó.
The language has a contrast between a plain lateral and a palatalized lateral.
Ebben a nyelvben különbség van a sima oldalsó mássalhangzó és a palatalizált oldalsó mássalhangzó között.
Students often confuse the lateral with a similar central approximant.
The researcher described a rare voiceless alveolar lateral in the data.
The chart marks each lateral with a separate symbol.
Learner examples
The /l/ sound in English is a lateral.
Az angol /l/ hang egy oldalsó mássalhangzó.
Some languages have more than one lateral.
Egyes nyelvekben egynél több oldalsó mássalhangzó is van.
A lateral lets air move around the sides of the tongue.
The teacher showed how to make a clear lateral.
We listened to a recording of a velar lateral.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'lateral' as a sound type with 'lateral' meaning 'side' in general English and not realize it is a specific technical term in phonetics.
Meaning
lateral consonant sound
Collocations
alveolar lateral
|velar lateral
|lateral consonant
|lateral approximant
|clear lateral
Synonyms
lateral consonant (More explicit and common in teaching; adds the word 'consonant' for clarity.)
Antonyms
central consonant (A consonant where air flows over the center of the tongue, opposite to a lateral consonant.)
Themes
language
|science
|education
|communication
Definition
In the study of sounds, a consonant made when the tongue blocks air in the middle and lets it go around the sides, like the English /l/ sound.
In phonetics, a consonant sound made by obstructing airflow with the tongue so that air passes along one or both sides of the tongue instead of down the center.
Grammar
Dictionary form
lateral
IPA
GB/lˈætɚəl/
US/lˈætɚəl/
Syllables & stress
lat - er - al (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (lat)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: lateral
Noun
- Base: lateral
- Plural: laterals
Word family
Forms
laterals
noun
Core family
laterally
adverb
Related words
bilateral
adjective C1
bilaterally
adverb
unilateral
adjective C1
unilaterally
adverb
multilateral
adjective C1
Advanced or less common
lateralize
verb
lateralization
noun
Expressions
hook and lateral
1/hˈʊk ˈænd lˈætɚəl/
fixed phrase
trick play with quick lateral
In American football, a trick play where one player catches a short pass and then quickly passes the ball sideways or back to a teammate.
Examples
- They won the game with a dramatic hook and lateral as time expired.
- The team practiced the hook and lateral all week before the big game.
- Defenders were fooled by the hook and lateral and left the field wide open.
lateral flow test
1/lˈætɚəl flˈoʊ tˈɛst/
fixed phrase
rapid strip-based medical test
A quick medical test where a liquid sample, like saliva or blood, moves along a paper strip to show a positive or negative result.
Examples
- Many people used lateral flow tests at home during the pandemic.
- You should do a lateral flow test before visiting the care home.
- The government provided free lateral flow tests to the public.
lateral hire
1/lˈætɚəl hˈaɪɚ/
fixed phrase
formal
same-level external employee
A worker that a company brings in from another company for a job at the same level as before.
Examples
- Most partners at the firm started as lateral hires from other big firms.
- The bank is focusing on lateral hires to grow its investment division.
- They prefer lateral hires who can bring clients with them.
lateral move
1/lˈætɚəl mˈuv/
fixed phrase
job change at same level
A change to a different job that has about the same level, pay, and status, not higher and not lower.
Examples
- She took a lateral move to the IT department to learn new skills.
- Sometimes a lateral move can help your long-term career more than a small promotion.
- His manager suggested a lateral move instead of a raise this year.
lateral pass
1/lˈætɚəl pˈæs/
fixed phrase
sideways or back football pass
In American football, a pass where the ball is thrown to the side or back, not forward.
Examples
- The game ended with a wild lateral pass that almost scored a touchdown.
- They practiced a trick play involving two quick lateral passes.
- A risky lateral pass near your own end zone can be very dangerous.
lateral thinking
1/lˈætɚəl θˈɪŋkɪŋ/
fixed phrase
creative, indirect problem-solving
Finding answers by using new, creative ideas and looking at the problem in a different way, not just using normal step-by-step logic.
Examples
- The company values lateral thinking and rewards unusual solutions.
- This puzzle is designed to test your lateral thinking skills.
- We need more lateral thinking if we want to beat our competitors.