Home › Environmental Policy & Sustainability Economics › International Environmental Accords › multilateral

multilateral

mul-tee-LAT-er-ul /ˌmʌltiˈlætərəl/

adjectiveC1GREGMAT

formalpoliticaleconomic

Agreed upon or participated in by three or more parties, especially the governments of different countries.

It emphasizes that the agreement is not just between two sides (bilateral) but involves a broad collective of nations.

The story behind the word. Combining 'multi' (many) and 'latus' (side), this word describes a 'many-sided' approach. It entered English in the 19th century as international diplomacy became more complex.

Word relationships

collective: Collective implies a group acting as one; multilateral emphasizes the many individual sides involved.
international: International is broader; multilateral specifically refers to the 'many-sided' nature of the agreement.

bilateral: Involving only two parties.
unilateral: Performed by or affecting only one person, group, or country involved in a situation.

Commonly confused with

bilateral: Bilateral is two-sided; multilateral is three or more.

Word family

multilateralism (noun): The principle of participation by three or more parties.

Collocations

multilateral agreement
multilateral cooperation
multilateral negotiations
multilateral institution

Example sentences

"The United Nations promotes multilateral cooperation to solve global environmental challenges that no single nation can tackle alone." UN report on global cooperation.
"Multilateral trade agreements are often more complex to negotiate than bilateral ones because of the diverse interests involved." Economic analysis of trade.

Memory hook

Think of a 'lateral' pass in football (to the side). 'Multi-lateral' means passing the agreement to many sides. Many sides at the table.

When not to use

Do not use when only two parties are involved.

Fun facts

The World Trade Organization (WTO) is one of the most famous examples of a multilateral institution.