I. ˈmēdēə̇t, chiefly Brit ˈmējə̇t or ˈmēdyə̇t; usu -ə̇d.+V adjective
Etymology: Middle English mediat, from Late Latin mediatus, past participle of mediare to be in the middle, from Latin medius middle — more at mid
1. : occupying a middle position : interposed between the extremes in order of time, place, or rank
2.
a. obsolete : fulfilling the function of an intermediary
b. archaic : serving as a means : instrumental
3. : acting through an intervening agency : exhibiting indirect causation, connection, or relation
the disease spreads by mediate as well as direct contact — Veterinary Record
• me·di·ate·ly adverb
• me·di·ate·ness noun -es
II. ˈmēdēˌāt, usu -ād.+V verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: in sense 1, from Late Latin mediatus, past participle of mediare; in other senses, from Medieval Latin mediatus, past participle of mediare, from Late Latin, to be in the middle
intransitive verb
1. archaic : to form a connecting link : be in the middle : intervene
2.
a. : to interpose between parties in order to reconcile them or to interpret them to each other
I want to mediate between the two of you now, because if this breach continues it will be the ruin of us all — Robert Graves
b. : to negotiate a compromise of hostile or incompatible viewpoints, demands, or attitudes : reconcile differences
critics … who mediated between extreme points of view — C.I.Glicksberg
transitive verb
1.
a. : to bring about by intervention between conflicting parties : effect by action as an intermediary
mediated a settlement satisfactory to both sides
b. : to bring accord out of by action as an intermediary
endeavored to mediate East-West differences on several important issues — Collier's Year Book
had just finished mediating an industrial dispute — Current Biography
2.
a. : to act as intermediary agent in bringing, effecting, or communicating (as a gift, result, influence) : convey
individuals … mediate the culture to the child — Margaret Mead
b. : to transmit or carry (as a physical process or effect) as intermediate mechanism or agency
apparently the vast majority of papillae can mediate more than one sense quality — F.A.Geldard