SINCE 1828
tertium quid
noun
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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