tertium quid

noun

ter·ti·um quid | \ ˌtər-shē-əm-ˈkwid

How to pronounce tertium quid (audio)

, 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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Dictionary Entries near tertium quid

tertiary education

tertiary quality

tertiary syphilis

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The first known use of tertium quid was circa 1724

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