sidebar

/ˌsaɪdˈbɑr/

Other forms: sidebars

A sidebar is a small section of text next to a longer article. A sidebar usually has information that relates to the main story beside it. Sidebar alert: it also means changing the subject in the middle of a conversation.

Sidebars began in the printed newspaper world, and they've moved, along with newspapers and other news sources, to the internet. Most professionally-designed web pages include sidebars. In the legal world, a sidebar has a completely different meaning—it's a courtroom conversation between lawyers and the judge that jury members can't hear. The newspaper meaning dates from the mid-20th century.

Definitions of sidebar

1. noun

   a short news story presenting sidelights on a major story
   type of:

   news article, news story, newspaper article

   an article reporting news
2. noun

   (law) a courtroom conference between the lawyers and the judge that is held out of the jury's hearing
   type of:

   consultation

   a conference between two or more people to consider a particular question