mediation

noun

me·​di·​a·​tion ˌmē-dē-ˈā-shən 

: the act or process of mediating: such as

a

: intervention between conflicting parties to promote reconciliation, settlement, or compromise

The town feud raged until April … when, with the mediation of William N. Byers the dispute was settled and the name of Denver selected for the settlement.

—Thomas A. Martin

specifically : a means of resolving disputes outside of the judicial system by voluntary participation in negotiations structured by agreement of the parties and usually conducted under the guidance and supervision of a trained intermediary

More couples are considering mediation—or using a mediator to help them reach a compromise—rather than hiring two lawyers who fight it out for their clients.

—Mary Rowland

b

: indirect conveyance or communication through an intermediary

Islam recognizes no ordination, no sacraments, no priestly mediation between the believer and God.

—Bernard Lewis

Like any of the other emporiums of the western ocean, Mogadishu had plenty of employment for the commercial brokers … who provided the crucial mediation between the arriving sea merchants and the local wholesalers.

—Ross E. Dunn

c

: transmission by an intermediate mechanism or agency

The critical role of the hippocampus in the mediation of normal memory processes has been highlighted by the observation that in human patients bilateral damage to the medial temporal lobe, including the hippocampus, produces an extensive and durable amnesia for new information.

—Raymond P. Kesner et al.

mediational

ˌmē-dē-ˈā-sh(ə-)nəl 

adjective

Examples of mediation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

After mediation failed to bring a settlement between the parties, a Los Angeles superior court set an April 2023 court date for the lawsuit. —Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 25 Oct. 2024

Leaders need to understand the conflict picture in their organization by understanding employee feedback and ensuring that processes are in place to aid informal resolution, such as facilitation, internal mediation, and conflict coaching. —Anna Shields, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024

But the elephant in the room is Russia’s war in Ukraine, which the Kazan Declaration stresses must be resolved by diplomatic means in accordance with the principles of the U.N. Charter and hints at possibilities for mediation. —Fred Weir, The Christian Science Monitor, 24 Oct. 2024

On Friday, September 13, 2024, a federal judge agreed to mediation in a years-long rent dispute case involving the SS United States Conservancy, a group that has sought to preserve the fabled ocean liner. —David Morgan, CBS News, 19 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

mediation

noun

me·​di·​a·​tion ˌmēd-ē-ˈā-shən 

: the act or process of mediating something (as a physical process)

mediational

-shnəl, -shən-ᵊl 

adjective

Legal Definition

mediation

noun

me·​di·​a·​tion ˌmē-dē-ˈā-shən 

: nonbinding intervention between parties to promote resolution of a grievance, reconciliation, settlement, or compromise compare arbitration