Mediate
/ˈmiːdi.eɪt/noun
To intervene between parties in order to bring about agreement or reconciliation.
Did you know?The word comes from Latin medius, meaning “middle,” and its ancient relatives also gave us words like “midnight” and “medium,” so mediation has always meant occupying the in-between zone.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*medhyo-
“middle”
Latin
Latin
mediāre
“to be in the middle, divide in half”
Late Latin
Latin
mediātus
“placed in the middle; mediated”
Old French
Old French
mediater
“to mediate, interpose”
Middle English
English
mediate
“to act as an intermediary or go-between”
Modern English
English
mediate
“to intervene between parties to resolve a dispute”