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)

, in·ter·me·di·at·ed, in·ter·me·di·at·ing.

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

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

Hospitalizations are often an intermediate step between rising cases and increased mortality.

From Vox

Interestingly, among the three target depths, SOE on intermediate passes appears to be the most stable year to year.

From FiveThirtyEight

The intermediate SOE leaderboard includes seasons from receivers like Davante Adams, Keenan Allen, Danny Amendola, Cooper Kupp and Adam Humphries, all of whom are generally regarded as skilled route runners.

From FiveThirtyEight

Since depth of target is so important in determining separation, we grouped plays into buckets — depending on whether a pass attempt was short, intermediate or deep — and created an SOE leaderboard for each.

From FiveThirtyEight

Pangolins or another animal might still have been an intermediate host before the virus made it to humans.

From Science News

That leaves a huge gap in the middle, where intermediate black holes (IMBHs) could exist.

From The Daily Beast

Obama scaled that back to interceptors of intermediate-range missiles.

From The Daily Beast

Geniuses joined the realm of intermediate beings, alternately exalted and tormented by celestial visions.

From The Daily Beast

Terrain is classified as 27 percent easier; 41 percent intermediate; 32 percent most difficult.

From The Daily Beast

Roughly 25 percent is rated beginner terrain; 45 percent intermediate; and 30 percent expert.

From The Daily Beast

But between the phase of schooling and the phase of adult learning there is an intermediate stage.

From Project Gutenberg

We now proceed to learn the eighteen kings intermediate between William II.

From Project Gutenberg

The instruction ranges from history and geography to practical seamanship, with all the intermediate scientific subjects.

From Project Gutenberg

Fragment, apparently from a columnar mass, of a stone intermediate between clink-stone and compact felspar.

From Project Gutenberg

The Pygmies of the Central African forests seem similarly to occupy an intermediate position in the development of language.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• transitional