Collateral Definition

kə-lătər-əl
adjective
Side by side; parallel.
Webster's New World
Parallel in time, rank, importance, etc.; corresponding.
Webster's New World
Accompanying or existing in a subordinate, corroborative, or indirect relationship.
Webster's New World
Serving to support or corroborate.
Collateral evidence.
American Heritage
Of a secondary nature; subordinate.
Collateral target damage from a bombing run.
American Heritage
noun
Property acceptable as security for a loan or other obligation.
American Heritage
A collateral relative.
Webster's New World
Anything, such as stocks or bonds, that secures or guarantees the discharge of an obligation.
Webster's New World
(now rare) A collateral (not linear) family member.
Wiktionary

A branch of a bodily part or system of organs.

Besides the arteries blood streams through numerous veins we call collaterals.
Wiktionary

Other Word Forms of Collateral

Noun

Singular:
collateral
Plural:
collaterals

Origin of Collateral

  • Recorded since c.1378, from Old French, from Medieval Latin collaterālis, from Latin col- (“together with”) (a form of con-) + the stem of latus (“side”).

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English from Medieval Latin collaterālis Latin com- com- Latin latus later- side

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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