Origin: Latin suffix -tion
Negotiation has 3 different meanings across 1 category:
a discussion intended to produce an agreement
"the buyout negotiation lasted several days"
"they disagreed but kept an open dialogue"
"talks between Israelis and Palestinians"
the activity or business of negotiating an agreement; coming to terms
"The final stage of the negotiation involved detailed discussions on salary and benefits before they signed the contract."
The process of achieving agreement through discussion.
"The difficult negotiation between the two companies finally resulted in a mutually beneficial contract after weeks of intense discussion."
In plain English: Negotiation is when people talk to each other to reach an agreement that works for everyone involved.
"The negotiation between the two companies took all morning to reach an agreement on the contract terms."
Usage: Negotiation refers to the active back-and-forth discussions between parties aimed at reaching an agreement, distinct from simply making demands or accepting terms immediately. It often involves compromise and requires both sides to have some flexibility in their initial positions for a successful outcome.
The word negotiation comes from the Middle French négociation and ultimately from the Latin negotiatio, which originally meant "the carrying on of business." It entered English with this commercial sense before evolving to describe the process of discussing terms to reach an agreement.