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Difficulty: MediumCommon Prefixes

The mediator agreed to intercede in the dispute before negotiations broke down completely. What does the word intercede most nearly mean in this sentence?

  1. A
    Withdraw completely from an ongoing conflict
  2. Step in between opposing parties to mediateAnswer
  3. C
    Direct operations strictly from within an organization
  4. D
    Surrender official authority or property to an opponent

Answer

Step in between opposing parties to mediate
The word 'intercede' is formed by combining the prefix 'inter-', meaning 'between' or 'among', with the root 'cede', meaning 'to go'. In the context of a mediator intervening in a dispute, 'intercede' means to step in between opposing sides to facilitate a resolution.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the morphological components of the target word
The word 'intercede' consists of the common prefix 'inter-' (meaning 'between' or 'among') and the root 'cede' (meaning 'to go' or 'to yield').
Breaking down unfamiliar vocabulary into prefixes and base roots reveals core morphological meaning.
2
Synthesize the morphological meaning with sentence context clues
Literally meaning 'to go between', in the context of a mediator handling a dispute before talks fail, the word means intervening or stepping between parties to resolve conflict.
Contextual usage confirms the specific functional meaning of the prefixed term.
3
Evaluate the choices to identify the exact synonym
The definition 'Step in between opposing parties to mediate' directly matches the morphological analysis.
Selecting the option aligned with the prefix 'inter-' eliminates distractors based on antonyms or prefix confusions.

Key Concept

The prefix 'inter-' is a common directional and relational prefix meaning 'between', 'among', or 'mutually'.
Estimated Time:35s
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Common Prefixes

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