medieval

American  

[mee-dee-ee-vuhl, med-ee-, mid-ee-, mid-ee-vuhl] / ˌmi diˈi vəl, ˌmɛd i-, ˌmɪd i-, mɪdˈi vəl /

Or mediaeval

adjective

1. of, pertaining to, characteristic of, or in the style of the Middle Ages.

   medieval architecture.

2. Informal. extremely old-fashioned; primitive.

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medieval British  

/ ˌmɛdɪˈiːvəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or in the style of the Middle Ages

2. informal old-fashioned; primitive

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medieval Cultural  

1. A descriptive term for people, objects, events, and institutions of the Middle Ages.

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Discover More

“Medieval” is sometimes used as a term of disapproval for outdated ideas and customs. It may suggest inhuman practices, such as torture of prisoners. (See Inquisition.)

Other Word Forms

• antimedieval adjective
• antimedievally adverb
• medievally adverb
• postmedieval adjective
• pseudomedieval adjective
• pseudomedievally adverb
• quasi-medieval adjective
• unmedieval adjective

Etymology

Origin of medieval

1820–30; < New Latin medi ( um ) aev ( um ) the middle age + -al ¹. See medium, age

Compare meaning

How does medieval compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• medieval vs. Middle Ages

Example Sentences

In Russia's Tver, a medieval city two hours' drive from Moscow, locals have got used to not being able to use their phones for hours on end.

From Barron's

Its roots lie in the medieval stonemasons' guilds, and members still meet in "lodges" to carry out secretive initiation rituals and ceremonies.

From BBC

In keeping with the medieval look, some of the individuals pushing it had animal headdresses, reminiscent of illuminated manuscripts.

From The Wall Street Journal

One example he gives is how different seasons affected warfare in the medieval era.

From BBC

Lotus was founded in 1932 in a village near the medieval city of Ghent.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• Gothic
• antique
• archaic
• feudal
• primitive