co
lla
te
ral
1
additional but less important, often connected to a main element
- While the primary objective of the project was to enhance customer satisfaction, there were collateral advantages, including increased brand loyalty.
- The implementation of the new software had collateral consequences, leading to temporary disruptions in the workflow.
- Although the primary goal was to enhance data security, the new encryption protocols had a collateral effect on system performance, resulting in slower processing times.
- The campaign's collateral damage included a few misunderstandings among the team.
- The flood caused collateral losses, affecting nearby properties but not the main area of damage.
2
descended from a shared ancestor, but through a side branch rather than a direct lineage
- The family reunion included both direct and collateral descendants, all tracing back to the same great-grandparent.
- Her collateral relatives were distant cousins, with no immediate blood tie but a shared ancestral connection.
- The document provided information on collateral branches of the family tree that had been overlooked.
- Although not in the direct line, the collateral descendants still inherited a portion of the family legacy.
- He found several collateral relatives through research, expanding his understanding of his extended family.
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3
situated alongside something
- The road runs collateral to the railway tracks, allowing for efficient transportation and connectivity.
- Adjacent to the main building, there is a collateral structure that houses additional offices.
- In the art gallery, the sculptures were arranged collateral to each other, creating an immersive display of three-dimensional art.
- The collateral veins in the plant allowed it to survive despite the damage to the main stem.
- Collateral branches extended from the tree, providing additional support to the main trunk.
Synonyms:
4
providing additional support or context
- The lawyer presented collateral evidence to strengthen the case.
- Collateral research helped provide additional context for the study.
- The collateral documents supported the main argument in the report.
- They provided collateral data to back up their findings.