Lateral vs. Horizontal — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on September 18, 2023
Lateral refers to the side-to-side direction or position, often relative to the orientation of an object or subject. Horizontal describes a flat, level plane that is parallel to the ground. Both indicate directions but in different contexts.
Difference Between Lateral and Horizontal
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Key Differences
Lateral is a term often used to describe something that moves or is positioned from side to side. It is relative to the orientation of an object or subject. For example, in anatomy, lateral refers to parts that are farther from the midline of the body. Horizontal, on the other hand, specifically refers to a flat or level plane that runs parallel to the ground or horizon.
In engineering and physics, lateral forces affect structures from the sides, influencing stability. Horizontal forces act along a horizontal plane, affecting equilibrium but not always from the side. Both lateral and horizontal forces are important in understanding the structural integrity of objects.
When talking about movement or directions, lateral often implies a relation to a vertical axis, emphasizing side-to-side action. Horizontal implies a relation to gravity and usually means parallel to the ground, emphasizing no vertical displacement. So, a lateral move in a game like chess is side to side, while a horizontal line on a graph remains flat and level.
In grammar and language structure, "lateral" and "horizontal" are both adjectives, but their usages can differ. "Lateral" is frequently used in specialized contexts like medicine, engineering, and sports. "Horizontal" is more universally understood to indicate a level plane or direction parallel to the ground.
Comparison Chart
General Orientation
Side-to-side
Parallel to ground
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Context of Usage
Specialized fields
Universal
Relationship to Axis
Relative to vertical
Relative to gravity
Grammatical Category
Adjective
Adjective
Typical Fields
Medicine, engineering
Physics, geometry
Compare with Definitions
Lateral
Relating to movement or direction side-to-side.
The player made a lateral pass.
Horizontal
Commonly understood in various contexts.
Horizontal integration combines similar stages of production.
Lateral
Farther from the midline in anatomy.
The lateral muscles are located at the sides of the body.
Horizontal
Concerns level positioning.
The picture is perfectly horizontal.
Lateral
Affecting structures from the side.
Lateral forces impact the stability of a building.
Horizontal
Parallel to the ground or level.
The table is horizontal to the floor.
Lateral
Used in specialized fields like medicine and engineering.
Lateral thinking promotes creative problem-solving.
Horizontal
Relating to a flat plane.
Draw a horizontal line on the paper.
Lateral
Pertaining to the sides.
The lateral view of the building shows its width.
Horizontal
Of, relating to, or near the horizon.
Lateral
Of, relating to, or situated at or on the side.
Horizontal
Parallel to or in the plane of the horizon.
Lateral
Of or constituting a change within an organization or hierarchy to a position at a similar level, as in salary or responsibility, to the one being left
Made a lateral move within the company.
Horizontal
At right angles to a vertical line.
Lateral
(Linguistics) Of, relating to, or being a sound produced by breath passing along one or both sides of the tongue.
Horizontal
Occupying or restricted to the same level in a hierarchy
A horizontal study of verbal ability.
A horizontal transfer by an employee.
Lateral
A lateral part, projection, passage, or appendage.
Horizontal
(Medicine) Of or relating to transmission of infection by contact with or physical proximity to an infected individual or fomite.
Lateral
(Football) A lateral pass.
Horizontal
Something, such as a line, plane, or object, that is horizontal.
Lateral
(Linguistics) A lateral sound, such as (l).
Horizontal
Perpendicular to the vertical; parallel to the plane of the horizon; level, flat.
Horizontal lines
Lateral
To execute a lateral pass.
Horizontal
(marketing) Relating to horizontal markets
Lateral
To pass (the ball) sideways or backward.
Horizontal
(archaic) Pertaining to the horizon.
Lateral
To the side; of or pertaining to the side.
Instead of a promotion, I opted for a lateral move to a similar position in the marketing department.
Horizontal
(wine) Involving wines of the same vintages but from different wineries.
Lateral
Situated on one side or other of the body or of an organ, especially in the region furthest from the median plane.
The medial side of the knee faces the other knee, while the outer side of the knee is lateral.
A fish senses changes in hydrodynamic pressure with its lateral line.
Horizontal
Having the two notes sound successively.
Lateral
(disease) Affecting the side or sides of the body, or confined to one side of the body.
Horizontal
Relating to sexual intercourse.
Horizontal tango
Lateral
(physics) Acting or placed at right angles to a line of motion or strain.
Horizontal
A horizontal component of a structure.
Lateral
(UK) Non-linear or unconventional, as in, lateral thinking.
Horizontal
(geology) Horizon.
Lateral
Pertaining to speech sounds generated by partially blocking the egress of the airstream with the tongue, leaving space on one or both sides of the occlusion for air passage.
Horizontal
A Tasmanian shrub or small tree whose main trunk tends to lean over and grow horizontally, Anodopetalum biglandulosum
Lateral
An object, such as a passage or a protrusion, that is situated on the side of something else.
Horizontal
Pertaining to, or near, the horizon.
Lateral
(linguistics) A sound produced through lateral pronunciation (such as /l/ in lateral).
Horizontal
Parallel to the horizon; on a level; as, a horizontalline or surface.
Lateral
(American football) A lateral pass.
Horizontal
Measured or contained in a plane of the horizon; as, horizontal distance.
Lateral
(business) An employee hired for a position at the same organizational level or salary as their previous position.
Horizontal
Something that is oriented horizontally
Lateral
To move (oneself or something) in a lateral direction.
Horizontal
Parallel to or in the plane of the horizon or a base line;
A horizontal surface
A vertical camera angle
The monument consists of two vertical pillars supporting a horizontal slab
Measure the perpendicular height
Lateral
(American football) To execute a lateral pass.
Horizontal
Indicates no vertical displacement.
The ball moved in a horizontal trajectory.
Lateral
Of or pertaining to the sides; as, the lateral walls of a house; the lateral branches of a tree.
Lateral
Lying at, or extending toward, the side; away from the mesial plane; external; - opposed to mesial.
Lateral
Directed to the side; as, a lateral view of a thing.
Lateral
A short pass to a receiver who is upfield from the passer, i.e. is behind the passer relative to the direction of the passer's goal.
Lateral
A part or extension of something that points sideways, as a drift in a mine that goes to the side from the main one.
Lateral
To pass the footbal to a receiver who is behind the passer; to make a lateral pass; as, the ball was lateraled to the fullback, who ran it for a touchdown.
Lateral
A pass to a receiver upfield from the passer
Lateral
Situated at or extending to the side;
The lateral branches of a tree
Shot out sidelong boughs
Lateral
Lying away from the median and sagittal plane of a body;
Lateral lemniscus
Common Curiosities
Are Lateral and Horizontal interchangeable?
No, they are used in different contexts.
What does Lateral mean?
Lateral refers to the side-to-side direction or position.
In what fields is Horizontal commonly used?
Physics, geometry, and everyday language.
What's a Lateral move in a game?
A side-to-side movement.
What's a Horizontal line on a graph?
A flat line parallel to the x-axis.
In what fields is Lateral commonly used?
Medicine, engineering, and sports.
What is a Lateral force in physics?
A force acting from the side on an object.
What does Horizontal mean?
Horizontal refers to a flat, level plane parallel to the ground.
Is Lateral related to vertical?
Yes, it often contrasts with vertical movement or orientation.
Is Lateral an adjective?
Yes, it's an adjective.
What is a Horizontal force in physics?
A force acting along a flat plane, usually parallel to the ground.
How does Lateral relate to anatomy?
It describes parts of the body farther from the midline.
Is Horizontal related to vertical?
Yes, it is perpendicular to the vertical direction.
How does Horizontal relate to geometry?
It describes lines or planes parallel to the base of a figure.
Is Horizontal an adjective?
Yes, it's an adjective.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
