[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/laterally/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [L](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/l/) / laterally

# laterally

adverb (laterally)

«laterally» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Laterally means sideways, or to the side. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/laterally/#m1)
2. To think laterally is to solve a problem in an unusual, creative way instead of the obvious one. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/laterally/#m2)

### In the lessons

In science and sport it describes movement to the side (crabs walk laterally); in puzzles and olympiad questions «lateral thinking» means looking for a clever, unexpected answer.

### Examples

- Crabs move laterally across the sand. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/laterally/#x1)
- The pass went laterally across the pitch. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/laterally/#x2)
- The bridge can move laterally a little in strong wind. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/laterally/#x3)
- Try to think laterally about this riddle. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/laterally/#x4)
- The fish has eyes placed laterally, on the sides of its head. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/laterally/#x5)
- Lateral thinking puzzles need you to think laterally. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/laterally/#x6)

### Note

Adverb from the adjective «lateral» (to the side). Spelled with «-ally». «Lateral thinking» was named by Edward de Bono. In maths, a «lateral face» is a side face of a prism or pyramid, not the top or bottom.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «laterally» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/laterally/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«laterally» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/laterally.html) on Mova free.