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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 : [ gcide ]
Intermediate \In`ter*me"di*ate\, n.
1. A person who intermediates between others, especially in
negotiations; an intermediary; a mediator.
[PJC]
2. Something that is intermediate.
[PJC]
3. Specifically: (Chem.) A compound which is produced in the
course of a chemical synthesis, which is not itself the
final product, but is used in further reactions which
produce the final product; also called synthetic
intermediate, intermediate compound or intermediate
product; -- contrasted to starting material and end
product or final product. There may be many different
intermediates between the starting material and end
product in the course of a complex synthesis; as, many
industrial chemicals are produced primarily to be used as
intermediates in other syntheses.
Note: The term has the same meaning with respect to
intermediate compounds produced in a biosynthetic
pathway in living organisms.
[PJC]