intermediare

Intermediare is a term used to describe a person or organization that acts as an intermediary between two or more parties in a transaction, negotiation, or exchange of information. The most common form of the word is intermédiaire in French, meaning intermediary; in English, equivalents include intermediary, broker, agent, or mediator, depending on the context. The spelling "intermediare" is uncommon in English and is usually seen as a stylized variant or in nonstandard usage.

In business and commerce, intermediares facilitate market access, price discovery, due diligence, and contract formation. They may perform sourcing, negotiation, risk assessment, and payment processing. In financial markets, intermediaries include banks, brokers, funds, and payment processors that transfer capital from savers to borrowers or investors. In legal and professional services, intermediaries connect clients with specialists and help manage information flow and confidentiality.

Digital platforms increasingly act as intermediation layers, matching buyers and sellers, verifying participants, providing ratings, and handling payments and disputes. Regulation of intermediaries typically addresses licensing, transparency, consumer protection, data privacy, and conflicts of interest to ensure fair dealing.

Selected examples include real estate brokers, insurance agents, distributors, and e-commerce platforms. The concept has ancient roots in trade networks and remains central to modern economies by reducing search costs and facilitating specialization.

See also: intermediary, broker, agent, distributor, platform economy, intermediation.