The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Tertium quid \Ter"ti*um quid\ [L.] A third somewhat; something mediating, or regarded as being, between two diverse or incompatible substances, natures, or positions. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
tertium quid n 1: some third thing similar to two opposites but distinct from both