Arbitration
/ˌɑːrbɪˈtreɪʃən/noun
The use of an impartial third party to settle a dispute.
Did you know?It comes from Latin arbiter, a word tied to the idea of a witness or judge, so the modern legal term still carries the old authority of someone called in to see what really happened.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
arbiter
“a witness, judge, or one who decides”
Late Latin
Latin
arbitrāre
“to judge, decide”
14th Century
Middle English
arbitracioun
“settlement of a dispute by an appointed judge or mediator”
Modern English
English
arbitration
“the hearing and determination of a dispute by an impartial third party”