middle

American  

[mid-l] / ˈmɪd l /

adjective

1. equally distant from the extremes or outer limits; central.

   the middle point of a line; the middle singer in a trio.

   Synonyms:

   midway, medial, halfway, equidistant

   Antonyms:

   extreme

2. intermediate or intervening.

   the middle distance.

3. medium or average.

   a man of middle size.

4. (initial capital letter) (in the history of a language) intermediate between periods classified as Old and New or Modern.

   Middle English.

5. Grammar. (in some languages) noting a voice of verb inflection in which the subject is represented as acting on or for itself, in contrast to the active voice in which the subject acts, and the passive voice in which the subject is acted upon, as in Greek, egrapsámēn “I wrote for myself,” égrapsa “I wrote,” egráphēn “I was written.”

6. (often initial capital letter) noting the division intermediate between the upper and lower divisions of a period, system, or the like.

   the Middle Devonian.

---

noun

1. the point, part, position, etc., equidistant from extremes or limits.

   Synonyms:

   midpoint

   Antonyms:

   extremity

2. the central part of the human body, especially the waist.

   He gave him a punch in the middle.

3. something intermediate; mean.

4. (in farming) the ground between two rows of plants.

verb (used with or without object)

middled, middling

1. Chiefly Nautical. to fold in half.

middle British  

/ ˈmɪdəl /

adjective

1. equally distant from the ends or periphery of something; central

2. intermediate in status, situation, etc

3. located between the early and late parts of a series, time sequence, etc

4. not extreme, esp in size; medium

5. (esp in Greek and Sanskrit grammar) denoting a voice of verbs expressing reciprocal or reflexive action Compare active passive

6. (usually capital) (of a language) intermediate between the earliest and the modern forms

   Middle English

---

noun

1. an area or point equal in distance from the ends or periphery or in time between the early and late parts

2. an intermediate part or section, such as the waist

3. grammar the middle voice

4. logic See middle term

5. the ground between rows of growing plants

6. a discursive article in a journal, placed between the leading articles and the book reviews

7. cricket a position on the batting creases in alignment with the middle stumps on which a batsman may take guard

verb

1. to place in the middle

2. nautical to fold in two

3. football to return (the ball) from the wing to midfield

4. cricket to hit (the ball) with the middle of the bat

middle Idioms  

1. see caught in the middle; in the middle of; play both ends against the middle.

---

Related Words

Middle, center, midst indicate something from which two or more other things are (approximately or exactly) equally distant. Middle denotes, literally or figuratively, the point or part equidistant from or intermediate between extremes or limits in space or in time: the middle of a road. Center, a more precise word, is ordinarily applied to a point within circular, globular, or regular bodies, or wherever a similar exactness appears to exist: the center of the earth; it may also be used metaphorically (still suggesting the core of a sphere): center of interest. Midst usually suggests that a person or thing is closely surrounded or encompassed on all sides, especially by that which is thick or dense: the midst of a storm.

Etymology

Origin of middle

First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English middel; cognate with German mittel; akin to Old Norse methal among. See mid ¹

Explanation

The middle of something is its center, or the point where the two ends are the same distance away. If you're in the middle of a 26.2 mile marathon, you've reached the halfway mark, and you've run 13.1 miles. A middle part in your hair is in the center of your scalp, and the middle of a tennis court has a net for hitting the ball over. Middle also means "belly" or "abdomen," as in the middle part of a body, or "between an earlier and later time." Your middle name is usually the second of three names. If someone says, "Patience is my middle name," they mean that it's their most distinct or strong characteristic.

Example Sentences

Shares have soared 22% in May alone, extending their 2026 climb to more than 50%, a rally that comes even as the Middle East war threatens to lift production costs.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

Chinese officials hosted Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday and called for the opening of the Strait of Hormuz and a cease-fire in the Middle East.

From Barron's • May 6, 2026

The World Bank has cut its growth forecast for the Middle East to 1.8% this year, as a result of the war, warning the fallout could result in long-term "scarring".

From BBC • May 6, 2026

Traffic in the strategic waterway, through which around one-fifth of the world's crude oil normally transits, has all but stopped since conflict erupted in the Middle East in late February.

From Barron's • May 6, 2026

The CDO was, in effect, a credit laundering service for the residents of Lower Middle Class America.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Related Words

• heart
• midst