What does intervenient mean?
Intervenient is a rare formal adjective meaning “intervening” or “coming between.” It may describe a period, stage, person, or event positioned between two others, as in a reference to an intervenient year between two major developments. In legal and institutional contexts, intervenient can instead describe a person or body that has the power or authority to intervene in a proceeding or decision. The word is closely related to intervene and intervention, which come from the Latin verb intervenire, formed from inter, meaning “between,” and venire, meaning “to come.” Although its vocabulary parallels are straightforward, intervenient itself is uncommon in contemporary English. Most speakers would use intervening, intervening period, or, when discussing authority, the more explicit phrase having the power to intervene. Nevertheless, the word can be useful in formal or technical writing when concision is important and the relationship to an act of intervention should be made clear.
adjectiveSituated between two things or events; intervening. In legal contexts, it can also mean having the authority or power to intervene.
- Existing or occurring between other things, people, or events.
- Having the authority or power to intervene.
"The intervenient year was filled with administrative uncertainty before the policy took effect."
"Negotiations during the intervenient period brought the two departments into agreement."
"The court considered whether the commission was an intervenient authority entitled to review the decision."
Intervenient belongs to a small family of formal words built on Latin inter, “between,” and venire, “to come.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does intervenient come from?
Intervenient comes from Latin interventus, a participle associated with intervenire, “to come between” or “to intervene.” The Latin verb combines inter, “between,” with venire, “to come.” English borrowed the participial adjective through French and established it in legal and formal vocabulary.
How intervenient is actually used
This is a rare, formal word. Its first sense is related to intervening, while its second is chiefly associated with legal and institutional language.
Easily confused with intervenient
Intervenient is a rare adjective describing something that comes between other things or has the power to intervene, whereas intervening is the present participle of intervene.