mediolateral
|me-di-o-lat-er-al|
🇺🇸
/ˌmiːdiəˈlætərəl/
🇬🇧
/ˌmiːdiəʊˈlæt(ə)rəl/
middle-to-side
Etymology
'mediolateral' originates from Latin/New Latin, specifically from the Latin roots 'medius' and 'latus', where 'medius' meant 'middle' and 'latus' meant 'side' (combined with the English adjectival suffix '-al').
'mediolateral' was formed from Neo-Latin 'mediolateralis' (from Latin elements) and was adopted into English usage in anatomical and biomechanical contexts as 'mediolateral'.
Initially it referred to the relation between middle and side in anatomical description; over time it has retained that technical meaning in anatomy and biomechanics (describing directionality or relation between medial and lateral).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
situated or extending from the middle toward the side; relating to or involving both the medial (middle) and lateral (side) aspects, especially in anatomy and biomechanics.
The mediolateral stability of the knee is important during cutting maneuvers.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/06 04:40