col·lat·er·al 1 /kə-'la-tə-rəl, -'la-trəl/ adj
1 a: accompanying as a secondary fact, activity, or agency but subordinate to a main consideration
b: not directly relevant or material
a collateral evidentiary matter
a collateral issue
2: belonging to the same ancestral stock but not in a direct line of descent compare lineal
3 a: of, relating to, or being collateral used as a security (as for payment of a debt)
b: secured by collateral
a collateral loan
col·lat·er·al·ly adj
collateral 2 n
1: a collateral relative
2: property pledged by a borrower to protect the interests of the lender in the event of the borrower's default; specif under Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code: property subject to a security interest
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam-Webster. 1996.