mediation

noun

me·​di·​a·​tion ˌmē-dē-ˈā-shən 

: the act or process of mediating: such as

a

: intervention between conflicting parties to promote reconciliation, settlement, or compromise

The town feud raged until April … when, with the mediation of William N. Byers the dispute was settled and the name of Denver selected for the settlement.

—Thomas A. Martin

specifically : a means of resolving disputes outside of the judicial system by voluntary participation in negotiations structured by agreement of the parties and usually conducted under the guidance and supervision of a trained intermediary

More couples are considering mediation—or using a mediator to help them reach a compromise—rather than hiring two lawyers who fight it out for their clients.

—Mary Rowland

b

: indirect conveyance or communication through an intermediary

Islam recognizes no ordination, no sacraments, no priestly mediation between the believer and God.

—Bernard Lewis

Like any of the other emporiums of the western ocean, Mogadishu had plenty of employment for the commercial brokers … who provided the crucial mediation between the arriving sea merchants and the local wholesalers.

—Ross E. Dunn

c

: transmission by an intermediate mechanism or agency

The critical role of the hippocampus in the mediation of normal memory processes has been highlighted by the observation that in human patients bilateral damage to the medial temporal lobe, including the hippocampus, produces an extensive and durable amnesia for new information.

—Raymond P. Kesner et al.

mediational

ˌmē-dē-ˈā-shnəl 

-shə-nᵊl

adjective

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

The mediation effort will be overseen by a bankruptcy judge in Houston. —Steven Church, Bloomberg.com, 12 Oct. 2022

Burlando-Salazar partnered with another BU law student, Marie Tashima, to solve tenants' disputes with landlords through mediation. —Sejal Govindarao, ABC News, 8 Apr. 2022

Through Watari’s mediation, and through the surprisingly wise advice of none other than Takatsuki, his wife’s seducer, Kafuku is able to bring together the role and the life, to find the middle ground between Stanislavski’s Method and his own. —Kevin Dettmar, The New Yorker, 23 Mar. 2022

Legal staff can provide initial legal advice to qualifying tenants, assist through mediation and connect tenants with available resources. —Michelle Mullins, chicagotribune.com, 31 Jan. 2022

The settlement, which was reached through mediation, will be split among 1,050 victims. —Tristan Balagtas, PEOPLE.com, 19 Jan. 2022

Fleming continued to pursue additional insurance policies, and through a mediation in March, 2019, was able to secure an additional settlement in the amount of $3.8 million. —Danielle Wallace, Fox News, 7 Oct. 2021

In Glendale, the teachers union and school district are in mediation. —Howard Blumestaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2022

The university is in mediation with Berry which is delaying establishing a time for removal or setting a spot for relocation of the mural, said Jay Blanton, the university's spokesperson. —Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez, The Courier-Journal, 2 Dec. 2022

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Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

mediation

noun

me·​di·​a·​tion ˌmēd-ē-ˈā-shən 

: the act or process of mediating something (as a physical process)

mediational

-shnəl, -shən-ᵊl 

adjective

Legal Definition

mediation

noun

me·​di·​a·​tion ˌmē-dē-ˈā-shən 

: nonbinding intervention between parties to promote resolution of a grievance, reconciliation, settlement, or compromise compare arbitration