ter·ti·um quid | \ ˌtər-shē-əm-ˈkwid 
, ˌtər-tē- \
, ˌtər-tē- \Definition of tertium quid
1 : a middle course or an intermediate component
where there are two systems of law and two orders of courts, there must … be some tertium quid to deal with conflicts of law and jurisdiction— Ernest Baker
2 : a third party of ambiguous status
there was a man and his wife and a tertium quid— Rudyard Kipling
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Time Traveler for tertium quid
The first known use of tertium quid was circa 1724
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