intermediate

¹

[ in-ter-mee-dee-it ]

adjective

1. being, situated, or acting between two points, stages, things, persons, etc.:

   the intermediate steps in a procedure.

2. of or relating to an intermediate school.
3. Automotive. mid-size.

noun

1. a person who acts between others; intermediary; mediator.
2. something intermediate, as a form or class.
3. Chemistry. a derivative of the initial material formed before the desired product of a chemical process.

intermediate

²

[ in-ter-mee-dee-eyt ]

verb (used without object)

intermediated, intermediating.

1. to act as an intermediary; intervene; mediate.

intermediate

adjective

1. occurring or situated between two points, extremes, places, etc; in between
2. (of a class, course, etc) suitable for learners with some degree of skill or competence
3. physics (of a neutron) having an energy between 100 and 100 000 electronvolts
4. geology (of such igneous rocks as syenite) containing between 55 and 66 per cent silica

noun

1. something intermediate
2. a substance formed during one of the stages of a chemical process before the desired product is obtained

verb

1. intr to act as an intermediary or mediator

Derived Forms

• ˌinterˌmediˈation, noun
• ˌinterˈmediacy, noun
• ˌinterˈmediˌator, noun
• ˌinterˈmediately, adverb

Other Words From

• inter·medi·ate·ly adverb
• inter·medi·ate·ness noun

Word History and Origins

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of intermediate¹

C17: from Medieval Latin intermediāre to intervene, from Latin inter- + medius middle

Example Sentences

As expected, those with the most severe distress had the highest rates of psychotherapy use, while those with mild or moderate distress had intermediate use, and those with no distress had the lowest.

From Science Daily

A vow to scrap the two-child benefit cap and changes to basic and intermediate tax thresholds are among the plans for the Scottish government for the next financial year.

From BBC

It shows how the atoms move in the fleeting intermediate states just before the bonds break.

From Science Daily

Much of U.S. imports from China and Mexico are consumer goods and intermediate parts that go into autos, appliances and other products.

From Los Angeles Times

In the 2010s, a series of intermediate species called darwinopterans were found that revealed that the head and neck had changed first before the rest of the body.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• transitional