tertium quid en · NOUN
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin tertium quid (“third thing”).
Meanings
- Something intermediate between two classifications.
-
A third party in a situation, such as one who comes between two potential romantic partners; a "gooseberry" or "third wheel".
Once upon a time there was a Man and his Wife and a Tertium Quid.
1888, Rudyard Kipling, At the Pit's Mouth:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| tertium quids | Number=Plur | lexicographic |