WordValemultilateral
involving three or more countries
In more detail
1. (adjective) involving or affecting many countries or groups
2. (adjective) having many sides
Examples
- 1. The countries signed a multilateral trade agreement to benefit all of them.
- 2. A multilateral shape has more than two sides.
How to use multilateral
Multilateral is commonly used in diplomatic, political, and business contexts to describe arrangements involving three or more parties or nations. It emphasizes inclusiveness and shared decision-making compared to bilateral (two parties) or unilateral (one party) alternatives. The geometric sense (having many sides) is less frequently used in modern English.
Common phrases
- multilateral agreement
- multilateral negotiations
- multilateral trade
- multilateral organization
- multilateral cooperation
- multilateral approach
Synonyms
multisided · many-sided · plurilateral · multinational · collective
Opposites
bilateral · unilateral
Word family
multilateralism · multilaterally
A common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse multilateral with multinational; while related, multilateral emphasizes the structure of an agreement or organization, while multinational emphasizes the origin or composition of entities involved.
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