Definition of the word interpose

The word "interpose" originates from the Latin phrase "interponere", which means "to put among". In Latin, "inter" means "among" or "between", and "ponere" means "to put". When used as a verb, "interponere" means to insert or intervene between two things, such as a mediator intervening in a dispute. The word "interpose" was borrowed into Middle English from Old French "interposer", and has been used in English since the 13th century. Initially, it meant to insert or put something between two things, but over time its meaning has expanded to include the sense of intervening or mediating in a situation. Today, the word "interpose" is often used in formal and literary contexts to describe actions such as intervention, mediation, or obstruction, and has a slightly formal tone to it.