trilateral

adjective

tri·​lat·​er·​al (ˌ)trī-ˈla-tə-rəl How to pronounce trilateral (audio)
-ˈla-trəl
: having three sides or parties
trilateral business ventures
trilateral discussions

Examples of trilateral in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The incident took place as defense ministers from Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey were meeting in the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, for trilateral talks focused on security in the Black Sea region. — Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026 Thomas said, ideally, the countries would also include Mexico in the arrangement and reach a trilateral deal, like the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA. — Michael Wayland, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026 Trump then sent his envoy to Norway and Russia to try to advance the peace process – but Washington walked away with only a plan to resume trilateral talks. — Lauren Kent, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026 Jaishankar and Rubio also held a trilateral meeting with United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who also was visiting India. — ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for trilateral

Word History

Etymology

Latin trilaterus, from tri- + later-, latus side

First Known Use

1660, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of trilateral was in 1660

Rhymes for trilateral

See All Rhymes for trilateral

Browse Nearby Words

trilacunar
trilateral
trilateration
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Trilateral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trilateral. Accessed 2 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

trilateral

adjective
tri·​lat·​er·​al (ˈ)trī-ˈlat-ə-rəl How to pronounce trilateral (audio)
-ˈla-trəl
: having three sides
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