intermediary
intermediary Lexical Profile
intermediary Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A person, organization, or institution that acts as a link or negotiator between people or groups in order to bring about an agreement or facilitate a transaction.
"Because the two companies refused to communicate directly, they hired a neutral legal intermediary to settle the contract dispute."
An intermediate stage, form, or means occurring between two points or states.
"Messenger RNA serves as a vital biochemical intermediary between genetic information in DNA and protein synthesis."
• adjective
Acting as a mediator, link, or go-between between two or more people, groups, or organizations.
"The small commercial bank served in an intermediary capacity during the international trade acquisition."
Situated or occurring between two points, stages, or extremes in a process or series.
"Each intermediary step in the manufacturing assembly must pass a rigorous quality inspection."
Word Nuance & Usage
As a noun, 'intermediary' refers to a person or entity acting as a link between parties, whereas 'intermediate' as a noun refers to a student at a middle skill level or a chemical compound formed during a multi-step reaction.
• Rhymes for intermediary
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 18th century from French 'intermédiaire', which derives from Late Latin 'intermedius', formed from 'inter-' (between) and 'medius' (middle).