cede

verb

ˈsēd 

ceded; ceding

transitive verb

1

: to yield or grant typically by treaty

Russia ceded Alaska to the U.S. in 1867.

2

: assign, transfer

ceded his stock holdings to his children

ceder noun

Did you know?

Do you cede or seed control?

Cede means "to yield or grant typically by treaty." Most of the verb senses of seed are concerned with planting seeds (either literal, as of plants, or figuratively, as of ideas). However, the word may also be used to mean "to schedule (tournament players or teams) so that superior ones will not meet in early rounds." If you relinquish or yield something you are ceding it, and if you are organizing the participants in a tournament you are seeding them.

Did you know?

Cede is often a formal term used in discussing territory and rights, but is also used less formally. So, for example, Spain ceded Puerto Rico to the U.S. in 1898, following the Spanish-American War, and the U.S. ceded control of the Panama Canal to Panama in 1999. Critics warn that we are ceding leadership in alternative-energy technology to China. Citizens of one European country or another are always worrying that their own country is ceding too much power to the European Union. A tennis player doesn't have any choice when she cedes her no. 1 ranking to a rival.

Synonyms

• cough up
• deliver
• give up
• hand over
• lay down
• relinquish
• render
• surrender
• turn in
• turn over
• yield

Examples of cede in a Sentence

Russia ceded Alaska to the U.S. in 1867.

she reluctantly ceded her position as leader

Recent Examples on the Web

Biden, 81 and the nation’s oldest sitting president, ceded the Democratic ticket to Harris, who turns 60 on Sunday, after concerns about his age and acuity mounted following a disastrous debate against Trump in June. —Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 18 Oct. 2024

Topline Apple’s newest iPhone 16 smartphones saw a stronger launch in China compared to 2023 models, a positive sign for the tech giant after months of concerns about ceding ground to local rivals in the world’s biggest smartphone market. —Siladitya Ray, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2024

During that gap, Bay ceded the franchise’s reigns to directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah (credited as Adil & Bilall), who returned for 2024’s Bad Boys: Ride or Die, now streaming on Netflix along with the first and second installments. —Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 12 Oct. 2024

When will all those dads watching know to cede certain decisions to their kids? —Ben Travers, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French or Latin; French céder, borrowed from Latin cēdere "to go, move away, withdraw, yield," perhaps, if derived from an originally transitive meaning "drive away," akin to Sanskrit sedhati "(she/he) chases away," Avestan siiazdat "will chase away"

First Known Use

1743, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

cede

verb

ˈsēd 

ceded; ceding

: to give up especially by treaty

Russia ceded Alaska to the U.S. in 1867

Legal Definition

cede

transitive verb

ˈsēd 

ceded; ceding

1

: to yield or grant usually by treaty

2

: assign, transfer

3

: to transfer (all or part of one's liability as an insurer under an insurance policy) by reinsurance to another insurer