medieval

or me·di·ae·val

[ mee-dee-ee-vuhl, med-ee-, mid-ee-, mid-ee-vuhl ]

/ ˌmi diˈi vəl, ˌmɛd i-, ˌmɪd i-, mɪdˈi vəl /

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adjective

of, pertaining to, characteristic of, or in the style of the Middle Ages: medieval architecture.Compare Middle Ages.

Informal. extremely old-fashioned; primitive.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of medieval

1820–30; <New Latin medi(um) aev(um) the middle age + -al¹. See medium, age

OTHER WORDS FROM medieval

me·di·e·val·ly, adverban·ti·me·di·e·val, adjectivean·ti·me·di·e·val·ly, adverbpost·me·di·e·val, adjective

pseu·do·me·di·e·val, adjectivepseu·do·me·di·e·val·ly, adverbqua·si-me·di·e·val, adjectiveun·me·di·e·val, adjective

Words nearby medieval

medicine woman, medick, medico, medicochirurgical, medicolegal, medieval, Medieval Breton, Medieval Cornish, Medieval Greek, Medieval Hebrew, medievalism

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use medieval in a sentence

The best kind of cast iron scrubber also happens to look like it could be part of a medieval suit of armor.
These pieces of kitchen gear make excellent gifts|PopSci Commerce Team|October 6, 2020|Popular-Science
For now, the study offers a few small hints about medieval life and suggests that ancient toilets have more to tell us.
Archaeologists delved into medieval cesspits to study old gut microbiomes|Kiona N. Smith|October 6, 2020|Ars Technica
Eventually, that data will help researchers plumb the depths of medieval microbiomes to understand how the microscopic populations of our intestines have evolved over the centuries.
Archaeologists delved into medieval cesspits to study old gut microbiomes|Kiona N. Smith|October 6, 2020|Ars Technica
To the artists who embraced it, including Leonardo, Rembrandt, and Vermeer, this fresh approach also established a sharp break from the hard, flat style of medieval art.
These Images Expose the Dark Side of the Solar System - Issue 89: The Dark Side|Corey S. Powell|August 26, 2020|Nautilus

Called folium, this watercolor had been used to paint images on the pages of medieval manuscripts.
Ancient recipes helped scientists resurrect a long-lost blue hue|Carolyn Wilke|May 26, 2020|Science News For Students
Even in the medieval era this disparity made Christians uncomfortable.
Oops! Jesus’ Last Steps Are in the Wrong Place|Candida Moss|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The folk memory of medieval community life had been wiped out by the industrial revolution.
How Dickens and Scrooge Saved Christmas|Clive Irving|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
If a Queen did cheat, her crimes fade into insignificance compared to the extensive philandering engaged in by medieval monarchs.
The Sex Life of King Richard III's Randy Great Great Great Grandfather|Tom Sykes|December 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It is difficult to overstate how destructive the practice of dismembering ancient and medieval books is.
Dismembering History: The Shady Online Trade in Ancient Texts|Candida Moss|November 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
From reports it must once have been a lovely old city with stone houses and a medieval quarter.
Blood in the Sand: When James Jones Wrote a Grunt’s View of D-Day|James Jones|November 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In classical and medieval times bridges were constructed of timber or masonry, and later of brick or concrete.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Part 3|Various
The medieval importance of these markets and fairs for the sale of wool and wine and later of cloth has gone.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Part 3|Various
The Celtic language reappeared; the Celtic art emerged from its shelters in the west to develop in new and medieval fashions.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Part 3|Various
Towers of Babel, medieval mythologies, and extensive smearings of that kind, he could find leisure!
History Of Friedrich II. of Prussia, Vol. III. (of XXI.)|Thomas Carlyle
Besides, what he has to say about dentistry occurs in typical medieval form.
Old-Time Makers of Medicine|James J. Walsh

British Dictionary definitions for medieval

medieval

mediaeval

/ (ˌmɛdɪˈiːvəl) /

adjective

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

informal old-fashioned; primitive

Derived forms of medieval

medievally or mediaevally, adverb

Word Origin for medieval

C19: from New Latin medium aevum the middle age. See medium, age

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for medieval

medieval

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

notes for medieval

“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.)

medieval

or me·di·ae·val

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Origin of medieval

OTHER WORDS FROM medieval

Words nearby medieval

Words related to medieval

How to use medieval in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for medieval

mediaeval

Derived forms of medieval

Word Origin for medieval

Cultural definitions for medieval

notes for medieval