General
disintermediation
What does disintermediation mean?
The removal of intermediaries from a supply chain or transaction so parties deal directly.
"Direct-to-consumer brands thrive on disintermediation."
Origin
Economics term from the 1960s banking sector.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'disintermediation' mean?
It means cutting out the middleman, removing intermediaries so that parties in a transaction deal with each other directly.
How is it used?
As a noun, e.g. 'The internet enabled disintermediation of travel agents.'
Where does the term come from?
It originated as an economics term in the 1960s banking sector, later applied broadly to supply chains and markets.
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Vocabulary Flow — saved to your collection.
