cede

UK: /ˈsiːd/ US: (sēd)

Inflections of 'cede' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

cedes

v 3rd person singular

ceding

v pres p

ceded

v past

ceded

v past p

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

cede  (sēd), v.t., ced•ed, ced•ing. 

1. Government to yield or formally surrender to another:
   to cede territory.

• Latin cēdere to go, yield
• 1625–35

ced′er, n. 
Synonyms

relinquish, abandon; grant, transfer, convey.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

cede / siːd/ verb

1. when intr, often followed by to: to transfer, make over, or surrender (something, esp territory or legal rights)
2. (transitive) to allow or concede (a point in an argument, etc)

Etymology: 17th Century: from Latin cēdere to yield, give way

ˈceder noun

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

-cede-, root. 

1. -cede- comes from Latin, where it has the meaning "go away from;
   withdraw;
   yield.'' This meaning is found in such words as: accede, antecedent, cede, concede, precede, precedent, recede, secede. See -ceed-, -cess-.

cede /sid/   v. [~ + object] , ced•ed, ced•ing. 

1. Government to yield or formally surrender to another:
   Mexico ceded territory to the United States.

See -cede-.