cede

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /sid/ UK /siːd/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like seethe /ð/ vs /d/

Meanings

1

verb
to give up or surrender, typically by treaty or formal agreement

The defeated nation was forced to cede several provinces.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to give up or surrender,... surrender yield relinquish concede grant renounce abdicate

Opposites

retain keep seize hold

Word family

Related forms cessionconcede recede secede accede

Simplified etymology

Cede entered English in the early 16th century from French céder or directly from Latin cedere, meaning “to yield, give way, or go.” The same Latin verb underlies many English words concerned with going, withdrawing, preceding, or following.

Etymology

From Latin cedere ('to go, withdraw, yield'), from Proto-Italic *kesdo-, perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *ked- ('to go, yield').

cedere Latin *ked- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Register & Style

External links

# cede

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /sid/
**IPA (UK):** /siːd/

## Meanings
1. to give up or surrender, typically by treaty or formal agreement

## Examples
- The defeated nation was forced to cede several provinces.

## Synonyms
- surrender
- yield
- relinquish
- concede
- grant
- renounce
- abdicate

## Antonyms
- retain
- keep
- seize
- hold

## Related Forms
- cession
- concede
- recede
- secede
- accede

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: cedere
- Root: *ked-

## Etymology
From Latin cedere ('to go, withdraw, yield'), from Proto-Italic *kesdo-, perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *ked- ('to go, yield').

## AI Etymology
Cede is from Latin cedere ('to go, withdraw, yield'), from Proto-Italic *kesdo-, perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *ked- ('to go, yield'). Important recorded forms include cedere (Latin) and *ked- (Proto-Indo-European). Its deeper history remains uncertain, with proposed links left as possibilities rather than a single settled derivation. The current sense covers to give up or surrender, typically by treaty or formal agreement. The wider family includes related words such as cession, concede, recede, secede, and accede.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Register & Style

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