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multilateral

mul-tee-LAT-er-ul /ˌmʌltiˈlætərəl/

adjectiveC1GREGMATIELTS

formalpoliticaldiplomatic

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

Specific to diplomacy and trade; it implies a cooperative effort involving many nations rather than just two (bilateral).

The story behind the word. From Latin 'multus' and 'lateralis' (belonging to the side). It entered the English diplomatic lexicon in the 19th century to describe treaties involving several powers.

Word relationships

international: International is broad; multilateral specifically implies a formal agreement or structure between many states.

unilateral: Unilateral involves only one party acting alone, whereas multilateral involves many.
bilateral: Bilateral involves exactly two parties.

Commonly confused with

multifaceted: Multilateral is about the number of participants; multifaceted is about the number of aspects of an issue.

Word family

multilateralism (noun): The principle of participation by several nations in an action.

Collocations

multilateral agreement
multilateral cooperation
multilateral institutions

Example sentences

"The WTO facilitates multilateral trade agreements that aim to reduce tariffs globally." International trade discussions.
"We believe that a multilateral approach is the only way to solve the climate crisis." A quote regarding global cooperation.

Memory hook

Think of a 'lateral' pass in football going to many different players on the field. Many sides (nations) at the table.

When not to use

Don't use it to describe a person's hobbies or a simple group project; it carries a heavy political or formal weight.

Fun facts

The United Nations is the most famous example of a multilateral organization.

Related words

multifaceted, polycentric

Explore more words

bilateral, Agreement, interdependent, alliance, ecumenical