concede
UK: kənˈsiːd | US: kənˈsiːd
vt. 1. to admit something is true or valid after initially resisting
vt. 2. to yield or surrender (e.g., in a debate or contest)
vt. 3. to grant a right or privilege
concede = con<with, together> + cede<go, yield>
- con<with, together>: Latin prefix meaning "with" or "completely," often intensifying the root.
- cede<go, yield>: From Latin cedere ("to go, yield, give way"), reflecting surrender or admission.
Etymology Origin:
The word concede traces back to Latin concedere ("to yield, grant, depart"), combining con- (thoroughly) + cedere (to go). It originally implied yielding physically or metaphorically (e.g., retreating in battle or admitting defeat in argument). Over time, it narrowed to emphasize acknowledgment (e.g., conceding a point) or granting (e.g., conceding rights). The root cede appears in related words like recede (move back) and precede (go before).
After hours of debate, she finally conceded that his argument was stronger.
The team conceded defeat when their star player was injured.
The government conceded additional rights to the protestors.
He reluctantly conceded the election to his opponent.
The treaty conceded territory to the neighboring country.