cede

Cede is a verb meaning to surrender, transfer, or give up something—most often power, rights, or territory—usually as part of a formal agreement or under pressure. It can also refer to yielding possession or claims more generally. In legal and diplomatic contexts, the act of ceding is described as a cession, and the resulting transfer may be called a cession of sovereignty or property. The past tense is ceded; the present tense third-person singular is cedes; the present participle is ceding.

Etymology and related terms: Cede derives from the Latin cedere, meaning to go or yield. It entered English via Old French and Middle English. Related words built from the same root include concede, secede, proceed, and succeed, all of which involve some sense of moving or yielding.

Usage: Cede is used in formal, historical, or legal language. It often describes a state or organization transferring territory, sovereignty, or control to another party, though it can also refer to relinquishing rights or claims. It is distinct from more informal terms like give up, and from words with different nuances such as concede (admit) or secede (withdraw from an organization).

Examples: France ceded Alsace-Lorraine to Germany after the Franco-Prussian War. The government agreed to cede control of the agency to a successor. A region may cede jurisdiction to a federal authority.