posterolateral
|pos-ter-o-lat-er-al|
🇺🇸
/ˌpɑstəroʊˈlætərəl/
🇬🇧
/ˌpɒstərəʊˈlæt(ə)rəl/
behind and to the side
Etymology
'posterolateral' originates from Latin, specifically from the combining elements 'poster-' from Latin 'posterus' meaning 'after, behind' and 'lateral' from Latin 'latus/ lateralis' meaning 'side'.
'posterolateral' was formed in New/Modern Latin as a compound of Latin 'posterior' + Latin 'lateralis' for anatomical use, and entered English via medical/scientific Latin usage.
Initially it combined the original senses 'behind' and 'side'; over time it has retained this combined anatomical sense of 'located behind and to the side'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
situated toward the back and to the side; relating to the posterior and lateral aspects (used especially in anatomy).
The tumor was located on the posterolateral aspect of the knee.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/05 21:31