lateral area

The term "lateral area" is used primarily in geometry to describe the surface area of the sides of three-dimensional shapes, excluding the bases.

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Definition

(technical, academic)The surface area of the sides of a three-dimensional shape, not including the base(s).

To find the lateral area of a cylinder, you only consider the curved surface, not the top and bottom circles.
The lateral area of a rectangular prism is the sum of the areas of its four vertical faces.

Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "lateral area":