Unilateral
/ˌjuː.niˈlæt.ər.əl/noun
Involving or affecting only one side or one party.
Did you know?Its roots are pure Latin geometry: unus + latus, so the word originally described something that had only one side, long before it became a power move in politics and diplomacy.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*oi-no-
“one”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*stlah₂-
“to spread, extend”
Latin
Latin
ūnus
“one”
Latin
Latin
latus
“side, broad side”
Late Latin
Latin
unilaterālis
“one-sided”
18th Century
English
unilateral
“one-sided; affecting only one side or party”
Modern English
English
unilateral
“done by one side alone, without the agreement of others”
Explore more surprising origins