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
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am intermediatingprogressive
-
are intermediatingprogressive
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is intermediatingprogressive
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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:
Growth in export orders slowed among consumer and intermediate goods makers but accelerated for investment goods firms, he added.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026
Rather than exploring every possible route, the proteins progress through a relatively small number of stable intermediate stages that guide assembly toward completion.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 22, 2026
In several important reaction steps, hydrogen could be transferred to intermediate chemical compounds directly as molecular H2, rather than only through separate hydrogen atoms.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 14, 2026
After the Bahrain Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton said that, had he started on the intermediate tyres, he could have won the race.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
To go from the bottom 20 percent to the top 20 percent is to enter a magical world where needs are met, problems are solved, almost without any intermediate effort.
From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich
Additional quantum mechanics calculations confirmed that this pathway can be especially favorable when hydrogen is transferred to intermediates containing oxygen.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 14, 2026
In the first few laps, Hamilton was on slicks and Verstappen on intermediates.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 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
These radicals are highly useful intermediates in natural product synthesis and pharmaceutical research, but most available techniques are designed for aryl ketones rather than simpler alkyl ketones.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 26, 2025
We can be almost certain, then, given these assumptions, that two people chosen at random will be linked, as were the strangers on the business trip, by a chain of at most two intermediates.
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
In that consideration, Bowman said, the most important thing is “the preservation of an intermediated banking model,” she said at an Independent Community Bankers of America meeting.
From Reuters ● Feb. 9, 2022
Speech has never been more free or less intermediated.
From The Guardian ● Sep. 3, 2019
If Judge Leon believes HBO Now customers are intermediated by a distributor like Apple, then he should believe the exact same thing about Netflix.
From The Verge ● Jun. 15, 2018
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
He seemed to float along the way as one floats in a happy dream, where motion is born at once of the will, without the intermediating mechanics of nerve, muscle, and fulcrum.
From Sir Gibbie by George MacDonald
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