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plurilateral

plurilateral

9.5
An agreement among several but not all members of a larger group
  • noun
  • /ˌplʊərɪˈlætərəl/
  • Formal
translation icon : acuerdo plurilateral
  • Only five members signed the plurilateral, while others chose not to participate.

Examples

  • A plurilateral can help a subset of nations move forward when consensus is difficult.

  • After lengthy negotiations, a plurilateral was formed to tackle shared economic challenges faced by a select group of countries.

  • The new plurilateral was negotiated among several countries to address digital trade issues.

  • The plurilateral agreement was signed by several countries.

  • Many nations prefer plurilateral deals over bilateral ones.

  • The new plurilateral agreement was created to enhance trade relations among member countries without requiring the full participation of all nations.

  • During the summit, several leaders discussed a plurilateral arrangement that would allow a group of nations to collaborate on environmental policies.

Surface Forms

plurilateral singular
plurilaterals plural

Morphology

plurilateral = lateral (semi-transparent) = pluri + lateral

The prefix 'pluri-' suggests multiplicity, but the specific application to agreements is specialized.

Etymology

Plurilateral as a noun names an agreement and comes from pluri- 'many' and lateral 'side'. So a plurilateral is an arrangement made by several members or countries, 'many sides' of a larger group but not all of them.