bilateral
/bai'lætərəl/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Having two sides or parts: Describes something that consists of or involves two sides, halves, or parties.
- Affecting or undertaken by two parties: Pertaining to an agreement, action, or relationship that involves two distinct and often equal participants.
- Having identical parts on each side of an axis: Characterized by symmetry, where corresponding parts are arranged on opposite sides of a central line.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- The patient underwent a bilateral knee replacement. (This describes a medical procedure performed on both knees, the two corresponding parts.)
- The two countries signed a bilateral trade treaty. (This describes an agreement specifically between two nations.)
- The bilateral symmetry of a butterfly's wings is often studied in biology. (This describes the mirrored, identical arrangement on either side of the body's center.)
Advanced Usage
- In diplomacy and law: The term is most commonly used to describe formal agreements, negotiations, or relations between two sovereign states or organizations.
- The summit focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation.
- In medicine and biology: Used to indicate that a condition, procedure, or anatomical feature involves or relates to both sides of the body or an organism.
- The scan revealed bilateral pulmonary infiltrates. (Infiltrates are present in both lungs.)
Variants and Related Words
- Bilaterally (adverb): In a way that involves two sides or parties.
- The project is funded bilaterally by the two governments.
- Bilateralism (noun): The principle or practice of conducting political, economic, or cultural relations between two sovereign states.
- The foreign policy emphasized bilateralism over multilateral approaches.
Synonyms
- Two-sided: Having two sides.
- Mutual: Held in common by two parties. (Note: "Mutual" emphasizes shared feeling/action, while "bilateral" emphasizes the structure of an agreement.)
- Reciprocal: Given, felt, or done in return. (Note: Often used in similar contexts but focuses on the exchange itself.)
Antonyms
- Unilateral: Undertaken or done by only one side or party.
- Multilateral: Involving more than two nations or parties.
Related Phrases / Collocations
- Bilateral agreement/treaty: A formal pact between two states.
- Bilateral relations: The diplomatic relationship between two countries.
- Bilateral symmetry: The symmetrical arrangement of an organism or object along a central axis, so that the two halves are mirror images.
- Bilateral talks/negotiations: Discussions conducted between two parties.
Adjective
- having two sides or parts
- affecting or undertaken by two parties
- a bilateral agreement between the United States and Japan
- having identical parts on each side of an axis