intermediate
1 Americanadjective
-
being, situated, or acting between two points, stages, things, persons, etc..
the intermediate steps in a procedure.
-
of or relating to an intermediate school.
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Automotive. mid-size.
noun
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intermediates
plural
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a person who acts between others; intermediary; mediator.
-
something intermediate, as a form or class.
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Chemistry. a derivative of the initial material formed before the desired product of a chemical process.
verb (used without object)
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intermediates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
intermediated,
past participle, past
-
intermediating
present participle
adjective
-
occurring or situated between two points, extremes, places, etc; in between
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(of a class, course, etc) suitable for learners with some degree of skill or competence
-
physics (of a neutron) having an energy between 100 and 100 000 electronvolts
-
geology (of such igneous rocks as syenite) containing between 55 and 66 per cent silica
noun
-
something intermediate
-
a substance formed during one of the stages of a chemical process before the desired product is obtained
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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intermediacynoun
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intermediatenessnoun
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intermediationnoun
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intermediatornoun
-
intermediatoryadjective
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intermediatelyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
intermediatesimple
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intermediatessimple
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have intermediatedperfect
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has intermediatedperfect
-
am intermediatingprogressive
-
are intermediatingprogressive
-
is intermediatingprogressive
-
have been intermediatingperfect progressive
-
has been intermediatingperfect progressive
Past
-
intermediatedsimple
-
had intermediatedperfect
-
was intermediatingprogressive
-
were intermediatingprogressive
-
had been intermediatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of intermediate1
1615–25; < Medieval Latin intermediātus, equivalent to Latin intermedi ( us ) intermediary ( inter- inter- + medius middle, in the middle) + -ātus -ate 1
Origin of intermediate2
1600–10; < Medieval Latin intermediātus, past participle of intermediāre. See inter-, mediate
Explanation
Use the adjective intermediate when you find yourself in that in-between stage, like after you complete an introductory class but before you are ready for the advanced stuff. The word intermediate comes from the Latin intermediatus, tracing back to intermedius, which combines inter-, meaning “between” and medius, meaning “middle.” So you can see that intermediate describes something or someone in the middle, between two distinct phases, like an intermediate swimmer who has mastered the basic strokes but isn't yet ready to join the racing team.
Vocabulary lists containing intermediate
Power Prefix: inter-
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Four Power Prefixes: anti-, con-, inter-, and uni-.
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Unit 2: Evolution
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
If you’re drawing on bonds as an income source, and you’ll need to sell even if prices are down, consider holding shorter-term bonds and intermediate term bonds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
Howard said Monday that he’s recommending clients use a bond “ladder” strategy to seize the opportunity by buying individual bonds, mutual funds or exchange-traded funds, with a range of short to intermediate maturities.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 5, 2026
Verstappen and the Mercedes drivers took the start on intermediate tyres on the still-wet track after a torrential tropical downpour had delayed the start.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026
For those at intermediate risk, however, the recommendation is less definitive, and anticoagulant treatment is currently listed as something that should be considered.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 27, 2026
To make matters worse, one night after a bombing mission, their aircraft got stuck at their intermediate airfield without food and low on fuel.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
They are also valuable intermediates in the production of pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2026
In simpler terms, the catalyst carefully manages highly reactive radical intermediates so they drive the desired transformation without causing unwanted side reactions.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 27, 2026
Two seconds of that offset can be accounted for by a slower pit stop, the other five by the extra lap on worn intermediates.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2025
That suggests Norris had previously been managing his pace to contain the wear on his intermediates.
From BBC ● Mar. 18, 2025
If the target is well known, the number of intermediates is even smaller, especially if you have a link with one or two celebrities.
From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos
Analyst Thomas Strong says funding costs are the biggest surprise in Judo’s trading update and he sees them benefiting further from the Australian business lender’s previously announced introduction of intermediated savings deposits from next month.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2025
The United Nations recognizes roughly 180 currencies, but “the reality is most global payments are still intermediated through a Western currency-dominated financial system,” said Eswar Prasad, a professor of international trade policy at Cornell University.
From New York Times ● Mar. 3, 2022
Critically, it said a digital dollar would "best suit" U.S. needs if it were intermediated through the current financial system.
From Reuters ● Jan. 20, 2022
Speech has never been more free or less intermediated, says Nesrine Malik.
From The Guardian ● Sep. 3, 2019
Funds and assistance for the preparation of intermediated drafts and logistics support for all stages of preparation of this guide were provided by Biological Systems, Inc.,
From Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises of the Western North Atlantic A Guide to Their Identification by David Caldwell
Banks like JPMorgan have been reckoning with the growing popularity of stablecoins, which threaten the traditional role that they have played in intermediating payments between customers around the world.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 24, 2026
We were intermediating and we were hedging our risk.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 21, 2026
Dealers typically support market liquidity by intermediating customer trades - for example, by taking customer sell orders into inventory when buyers are absent.
From Reuters ● Nov. 8, 2022
Uber embraced the mayor's decision, calling it "the first step toward guaranteeing that apps intermediating travel with technology have a place in the city."
From Reuters ● May 10, 2016
Man is like the great universe, and in both the spiritual cannot come in direct contact with the corporeal, but needs intermediating powers to bring the extremes together.
From A History of Mediaeval Jewish Philosophy by Isaac Husik
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