Ian Hoare wrote:

>><nitpicking> super_s_edes </nitpicking>
>
>
> According to my spell checker both spellings are correct - to my amazement.
> I was convinced the correct spelling is supercede. Given that both are
> permissable, I nevertheless tend towards Mark's spelling as the root verb is
> "cede" from the Latin verb cedere - to give up.

Alas, Ian, your spell checker made the same mistake that I did.
Supersede is indeed the one and only correct spelling (FWIW, from the
Latin super + sedere, to "sit above", a different etymology). The
apparent resemblance to intercede [from L. cedere, meaning in this
instance to pass] is misleading in this case.

Mark Lipton