intermediary

1 of 2

noun

in·​ter·​me·​di·​ary ˌin-tər-ˈmē-dē-ˌer-ē How to pronounce intermediary (audio)
plural intermediaries
1
2
: an intermediate form, product, or stage

intermediary

2 of 2

adjective

1
2
: acting as a mediator
an intermediary agent
an intermediary particle

Did you know?

Since inter- means "between, among", an intermediary is someone who moves back and forth in the middle area between two sides—a "go-between". Mediator (which shares the medi- root) is often a synonym, and so is facilitator; broker and agent are often others. Thus, a real-estate broker or agent shuttles between a house's buyer and seller, who may never even meet each other. Financial intermediation is what happens when you put money in a bank or investment firm, which then invests it in various companies; if you want, you can instead cut out the intermediary and invest the money directly in companies of your own choosing.

Examples of intermediary in a Sentence

Noun He served as an intermediary between the workers and the executives. in the past he's served as an intermediary in several hostage situations Adjective the bridal couple were regally ensconced in intermediary seats at the head table
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Under both Administrations, the USDOL operated national grant competitions aimed at growing apprenticeship expertise among community colleges, workforce boards, and apprenticeship intermediaries. Michael Bernick, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024 The report also noted that several Trump campaign associates had lied to investigators about their interactions with the Russians or their intermediaries, and been criminally charged as a result. Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2024
Adjective
Other Chinese entities have been able to get around the broader advanced chip export ban by bringing chips into an intermediary country first, like Singapore, and then bringing them into China. Kate Irwin, PCMAG, 18 Oct. 2024 Some risks can be mitigated by model developers, others by end-users or intermediary companies integrating AI into their products. James Broughel, Forbes, 5 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for intermediary 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'intermediary.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1791, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1777, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of intermediary was in 1777

Dictionary Entries Near intermediary

Cite this Entry

“Intermediary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intermediary. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

intermediary

adjective
in·​ter·​me·​di·​ary
ˌint-ər-ˈmēd-ē-ˌer-ē
1
: intermediate
an intermediary stage
2
: acting as a mediator
intermediary agent
intermediary noun

Medical Definition

intermediary

noun
in·​ter·​me·​di·​ary ˌint-ər-ˈmēd-ē-ˌer-ē How to pronounce intermediary (audio)
plural intermediaries
1
2
: an intermediate form, product, or stage
intermediary adjective

Legal Definition

intermediary

noun
in·​ter·​me·​di·​ary
ˌin-tər-ˈmē-dē-ˌer-ē
plural intermediaries
: one that acts as a means or go-between in a matter involving other parties
a reinsurance intermediary
see also learned intermediary
intermediary adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on intermediary

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!