media

¹ American  

[mee-dee-uh] / ˈmi di ə /

noun

1. a plural of medium.

2. (usually used with a plural verb) the means of communication, as radio and television, newspapers, magazines, and the internet, that reach or influence people widely.

   The media are covering the speech tonight.

---

adjective

1. pertaining to or concerned with such means.

   a job in media research.

media ² American  

[mee-dee-uh] / ˈmi di ə /

noun

plural

mediae

1. Greek Grammar. a voiced plosive, as β, δ, γ.

2. Anatomy. the middle layer of an artery or lymphatic vessel.

3. Entomology. a longitudinal vein in the middle portion of the wing of an insect.

---

Media ³ American  

[mee-dee-uh] / ˈmi di ə /

noun

1. an ancient country in W Asia, S of the Caspian Sea, corresponding generally to NW Iran. Ecbatana.

---

media ¹ British  

/ ˈmɛdɪə /

noun

1. the middle layer of the wall of a blood or lymph vessel

2. one of the main veins in the wing of an insect

3. phonetics

   1. a consonant whose articulation lies midway between that of a voiced and breathed speech sound

   2. a consonant pronounced with weak voice, as c in French second

---

media ² British  

/ ˈmiːdɪə /

noun

1. a plural of medium

2. the means of communication that reach large numbers of people, such as television, newspapers, and radio

---

adjective

1. of or relating to the mass media

   media hype

Media ³ British  

/ ˈmiːdɪə /

noun

1. an ancient country of SW Asia, south of the Caspian Sea: inhabited by the Medes; overthrew the Assyrian Empire in 612 _bc in alliance with Babylonia; conquered by Cyrus the Great in 550 _bc ; corresponds to present-day NW Iran

---

Usage

Media, like data, is the plural form of a word borrowed directly from Latin. The singular, medium, early developed the meaning “an intervening agency, means, or instrument” and was first applied to newspapers two centuries ago. In the 1920s media began to appear as a singular collective noun, sometimes with the plural medias. This singular use is now common in the fields of mass communication and advertising, but it is not frequently found outside them: The media is (or are ) not antibusiness.

When media refers to the mass media, it is sometimes treated as a singular form, as in: the media has shown great interest in these events. Many people think this use is incorrect and that media should always be treated as a plural form: the media have shown great interest in these events

Etymology

Origin of media¹

First recorded in 1920–25

Origin of media²

First recorded in 1835–45; from Late Latin (grammar sense only), noun use of feminine singular of Latin medius “middle”; mid ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

“He’s trying to sound threatening and crazy,” Tim Pool, a social media personality with more than two million followers, said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

For Sohni Kaur, who researched the subject while pursuing psychology and media studies at Scripps College, it comes down to good old nostalgia.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

Legal experts told CBS News, the BBC's US media partner, that the administration has moved away from past practice of leniency towards the families of service members in immigration cases.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

They sold out so quickly that Reese’s mother posted on social media that even she was unable to snag one in time.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

By Saturday afternoon, just two days after our return, Mamá had to call Special Agent Gonzales to come deal with the media crews.

From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall

Related Words

• news
• publishing
• radio
• television