tertium quid
[ tur-shee-uh m kwid; Latin ter-ti-oo m kwid ]
/ ˈtɜr ʃi əm ˈkwɪd; Latin ˈtɛr tɪˌʊm ˈkwɪd /
noun
something related in some way to two things, but distinct from both; something intermediate between two things.
Origin of tertium quid
1715–25; < Latin, translation of Greek
tríton·ti some third thing
Words nearby tertium quid
tertiary colour,
tertiary consumer,
tertiary dentin,
tertiary structure,
tertiary syphilis,
tertium quid,
tertullian,
teruel,
tervalent,
terylene,
terza rima
British Dictionary definitions for tertium quid
tertium quid
/ (ˈtɜːtɪəm ˈkwɪd) /
noun
an unknown or indefinite thing related in some way to two known or definite things, but distinct from both
there is either right or wrong, with no tertium quid
Word Origin for tertium quid
C18: from Late Latin, rendering Greek
triton ti some third thing