intermediate English · revision 10364

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1425|origins=la-med intermediatus|origins=la intermedius}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˌɪntəˈmiːdiət/, /ˌɪntəˈmiːdiɪt/ ''(UK)''; /ˌɪnt̬ɚˈmiːdiət/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is late Middle English, from Medieval Latin intermediātus, lying between,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) from Latin intermedius, that which is between, or Late Latin intermedium, a place coming between,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from inter-, between (see [[inter-]]), and medius, in the middle (see [[middle]]),^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998) from PIE *medhyo-, middle.^(Etymonline) Barnhart allows a borrowing through French intermédiat.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Being or occurring between, intervening: probably before 1425, in a translation of Higden;^(Barnhart 1988) the early 15th century in Etymonline.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Hoad dates the word to the 17th century,^(Hoad 1986) and the OED's dated senses begin in the 1620s–40s: coming between two times (1623), in a middle place (1646), and in amount or degree (1665).^(OED 1989) Intervening between persons is from 1783.^(OED 1989) The noun, something in between, is from 1650.^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) In geology an intermediate rock, with middling silica content, is from 1888,^(OED 1989) and in physics an intermediate neutron from 1947.^(OED 1989) A class or course for learners with some skill is a later use.^(Collins 2023) ''Intermediary'' is from the 18th century.^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1425 – intervening.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1623 – between two times.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1650 – the noun.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1665 – in degree.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1888 – intermediate rock.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1947 – intermediate neutron.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Lying or occurring between two extremes or in a middle position.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Of a class or course, for learners with some skill.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # Something in a middle position or state.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # An [[intermediary]].^(AHD)

+ # ''(chemistry)'' A substance formed at one stage of a chemical process.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[intermediacy]]

+ * [[intermediately]]

+ * [[intermediateness]]

+ * [[intermediation]]

+ * [[intermediator]]

+ * [[unintermediate]]

+ * [[intermediate frequency]]

+ * [[intermediate school]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[intermediary]]

+ * [[intermezzo]]

+ * [[middle]]

+ * [[medium]]

+ * [[mediate]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The verb intermediate, pronounced with a final -ate as in mediate, means to act as an intermediary; it is from the early 17th century, first meaning to interfere.^(SOED 2002)^(Etymonline)^(AHD)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}