Intermediary

Part of speech: noun, adjective

Pronunciation: /ˌɪntə(ɹ)ˈmiːdi.əɹi/

Definitions

1. A person or entity that acts as a link or mediator between two or more parties in a transaction or negotiation
2. A figure that facilitates communication or negotiation between parties while often representing the interests of one or both sides
3. An agent or go-between that connects different parties in a transaction, ensuring their respective needs are addressed

Etymology: The Latin roots are plain enough: "inter" meaning "between" and "medius" meaning "middle," which together give the sense of something standing in the middle. English took the word from French "intermédiaire," and the spelling was then adjusted to look like a borrowing from Medieval Latin "intermediārius," a form that was itself built from those same two Latin parts. The result is a word whose English spelling reflects a Latin ancestor that the French form had already derived from. The word's history is therefore less about a single event than about a steady reshaping of a term meaning "in between." Its core idea of standing between two parties has stayed constant, which is why a go-between in a deal and a person bridging two sides of a dispute both fit the same name.

Synonyms: mediator, agent, intercessor, go-between, middleman

Antonyms: direct, primary, first-hand