intermediate

in-tur-MEE-dee-uht/ɪn.tə(ɹ)ˈmi.di.ət/

As a verbin-tur-MEE-dee-ayt

Verbintermediates, intermediating, intermediated

9 meanings of intermediate

1
adjective
Coming in the middle, between two ends of a range.
Like the middle step on a staircase: not the bottom, not the top.
The course is for intermediate students who already know the basics.
She reached an intermediate level after a year of practice.
Similarmiddle, midway, halfway, medium, moderate
Note
2
nouncountable
A thing or person that sits in the middle, between two others.
Like the middle stop on a trip between two cities.
The new model is an intermediate between the small and large versions.
On the team, he plays as an intermediate between defense and attack.
Similarbridge, link, midpoint, intermediary
3
nouncountable
A person who helps two sides talk or deal with each other.
Like a referee who carries messages between two teams.
The lawyer acted as an intermediate between the two arguing families.
They hired an intermediate to handle talks with the supplier.
Similarintermediary, go-between, mediator, middleman, broker
4
nouncountable
A car that is bigger than a small car but smaller than a large one.
Like a medium drink: bigger than the small, smaller than the large.
We rented an intermediate for the long road trip.
The lot had several intermediates priced below the big sedans.
Similarmid-size
5
nouncountable
A substance made during a chain of reactions that is not the final product.
Like a half-built stage of a model that you keep working on until it's done.
The reaction forms an intermediate before making the final compound.
Chemists found an unstable intermediate during the process.
Note
6
verbintransitive
To act as a go-between for two sides.
Like a bridge that lets two sides meet in the middle.
A neighbor offered to intermediate between the two families.
When the partners disagree, she steps in to intermediate.
Similarmediate, intercede, intervene, arbitrate
Note
7
verbtransitive
To arrange a deal, the way a broker does.
Like someone who sets up a sale between two people.
He intermediated the deal between the seller and the buyer.
Brokers intermediate trades for their clients.
Similarbroker, arrange, negotiate, facilitate
Note
8
nouncountable
A racing tire with light grooves, used when the track is neither fully dry nor fully wet.
Like shoes with a little tread: fine for damp ground but not deep puddles.
The team fitted an intermediate when light rain began to fall.
On a damp track, intermediates grip better than slick tires.
Note
9
nouncountable
A chemical product made to be sold to other companies as a raw material for more reactions.
Like flour sold to bakeries to make bread, not sold to shoppers directly.
The factory sells an intermediate used to make plastics.
Many intermediates are shipped to other plants for further processing.
Note

Practice

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Origins

Meaning 1

From Medieval Latin intermediatus, related to Latin intermedius meaning "intermediate."

Meanings 2–5, 8–9

This is the noun use of the adjective 'intermediate.'

Meanings 6–7

From Medieval Latin intermediatus, the same source as the adjective.