Third-person singular present tense of 'cede': to give up, surrender, or relinquish power, territory, or rights to another.
From Latin cedere (to go, yield, give place to). The verb entered Middle English and became standard in legal and diplomatic language.
When a country 'cedes' territory, it's almost like the word itself is tired and backing away—that 's' sound really does feel like reluctant agreement.
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