lateral

/ˈlæt(ə)ɹəl/

//ˈlæt(ə)ɹəl// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"lateral" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“lateral” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #10,387 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#10,387
frequency rank, English
7
letters
10
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To the side; of or pertaining to the side.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

lateral vs liberal
71% similar
lateral vs literal
86% similar
lateral vs laterally
78% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for lateral
PropertyValue
Headwordlateral
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈlæt(ə)ɹəl/
Letters7
Frequency rank#10,387
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “lateral” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). lateral lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for lateral is 7 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈlæt(ə)ɹəl/. Corpus data places it at rank #10,387 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for lateral, with forms such as "alteral", "laetral", and "latearl". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 4 confusable-pair relationships, "liberal", "literal", "laterally", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin laterālis (“belonging to the side”), from latus (“the side or flank”) + -ālis (“-al”, adjectival suffix). The correct English form is lateral, spelled L-A-T-E-R-A-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    To the side; of or pertaining to the side.
  2. 2
    To the side; of or pertaining to the side.
  3. 3
    To the side; of or pertaining to the side.
  4. 4
    To the side; of or pertaining to the side.
  5. 5
    Non-linear or unconventional, as in, lateral thinking.
  6. 6
    (of a consonant, especially the English clear l) Pertaining to speech sounds generated by partially blocking the egress of the airstream with the tongue, leaving space on one or both sides of the occlusion for air passage.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin laterālis (“belonging to the side”), from latus (“the side or flank”) + -ālis (“-al”, adjectival suffix).

Antonyms

longitudinalvertical

This word in other languages

lateral(Español)latéral(Français)lateral(Deutsch)lateral(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: alteral,laetral,latearl,laterall,laterla,laterral,latreal,latteral,llateral,ltaeral

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of lateral - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

alteral2laetral2latearl2laterall1laterla2laterral1latreal2latteral1
Edit distance from "lateral"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "lateral"?
"lateral" is spelled L-A-T-E-R-A-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈlæt(ə)ɹəl/.
What does "lateral" mean?
As an adjective, "lateral" means: To the side; of or pertaining to the side.
What words are commonly confused with "lateral"?
"lateral" is commonly confused with "liberal", "literal", "laterally". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "lateral"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "lateral" is /ˈlæt(ə)ɹəl/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "lateral"?
Borrowed from Latin laterālis (“belonging to the side”), from latus (“the side or flank”) + -ālis (“-al”, adjectival suffix). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “lateral”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is L-A-T-E-R-A-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈlæt(ə)ɹəl/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “liberal” - see the side-by-side comparison. lateral vs liberal
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list