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Origin and history of mediate

mediate(v.)

1540s, "divide in two equal parts" (a sense now obsolete), from Latin mediatus, past participle of mediare "to halve," later, "be in the middle," from Latin medius "middle" (from PIE root *medhyo- "middle"); from 1640s as "occupy a middle place or position." Meaning "act as a mediator, intervene for the purpose of reconciliation" is from 1610s; that of "settle by mediation, harmonize, reconcile" is from 1560s, perhaps back-formations from mediation or mediator. Related: Mediated; mediates; mediating.

mediate(adj.)

early 15c., "intermediate," from Medieval Latin mediatus, past-participle adjective from Latin mediare "to be in the middle," from medius "middle" (from PIE root *medhyo- "middle"). Related: Mediately.

also from early 15c.

Entries linking to mediate

mediation(n.)

late 14c., mediacioun, "intervention, agency or action as a mediator or intermediary," from Medieval Latin mediationem (nominative mediatio) "a division in the middle," noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin mediare "to halve; to be in the middle," from medius "middle" (from PIE root *medhyo- "middle"). Related: Mediational.

mediator(n.)

mid-14c., mediatour, "one who intervenes between two parties (especially to seek to effect a reconciliation)," from Late Latin mediator "one who mediates," agent noun from stem of mediare "to intervene, mediate," also "to be or divide in the middle," from Latin medius "middle" (from PIE root *medhyo- "middle"). Originally applied to Christ, who in Christian theology mediates between God and man. Meaning "one who intervenes between two disputing parties for the purpose of effecting reconciliation" is first attested late 14c. Feminine form mediatrix (originally of the Virgin Mary) from c. 1400. Related: Mediatorial; mediatory.

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intercede
1570s, "to come between in space or time" (obsolete); c. 1600, "to interpose on behalf of another," a back-formation from intercession, or else from Latin intercedere "intervene, come between, be between" (in Medieval Latin "to interpose on someone's behalf"), from inter "between
arbitrate
1580s, "act as an umpire, mediate, decide, determine, give an authoritative decision," from Latin arbitratus, past participle of arbitrari "be of an opinion, give a decision," from arbiter "a judge, umpire, mediator" (see arbiter). The meaning "act as an arbitrator" is from 1610s
middle
Old English middel, "equally distant from extremes or limits; intermediate," from Proto-West Germanic *midla- (source also of Old Frisian middel, Old Saxon middil, Middle Low German, Dutch middel, Old High German mittil, German mittel), from Proto-Germanic *medj, from PIE root *m
stickler
1530s, "moderator, umpire, attendant on or judge of a contest," agent noun from stickle "mediate" (1520s), which is probably...
negotiate
1590s, "to communicate with another or others in search of mutual agreement," a back-formation from negotiation, or else from Latin negotiatus, past participle of negotiari "carry on business, do business," from negotium "a business, employment, occupation, affair (public or priv
lie
"speak falsely, tell an untruth for the purpose of misleading," Middle English lien, from Old English legan, ligan, earlier leogan "deceive, belie, betray" (class II strong verb; past tense leag, past participle logen), from Proto-Germanic *leuganan (source also of Old Norse ljug
exile
c. 1300, from Old French essillier "exile, banish, expel, drive off" (12c.), from Late Latin exilare/exsilare, from Latin exilium/exsilium "banishment, exile; place of exile," from exul "banished person," from ex "away" (see ex-); according to Watkins the second element is from P
strategy
1810, "the art of a general, the science of war," from French stratégie (16c.) and directly from Latinized form of Greek stratēgia "office or command of a general," from stratēgos "general, commander of an army," also the title of various civil officials and magistrates, from str
quandary
"state of great difficulty or perplexity," 1570s, a word of unknown origin and even the pronunciation is unsettled in old dictionaries (it seems to have been originally accented on the second syllable). Perhaps it is a quasi-Latinism based on Latin quando "when? at what time?; at
deed
"that which is done, acted, or performed, whether good or bad, great or small," Old English dæd "a doing, act, action; transaction, event," from Proto-Germanic *dethi- (source also of Old Saxon dad, Old Norse dað, Old Frisian dede, Middle Dutch daet, Dutch daad, Old High German t

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