medieval
Americanadjective
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of, pertaining to, characteristic of, or in the style of the Middle Ages.
medieval architecture.
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Informal. extremely old-fashioned; primitive.
adjective
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of, relating to, or in the style of the Middle Ages
-
informal old-fashioned; primitive
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“Medieval” is sometimes used as a term of disapproval for outdated ideas and customs.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
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of medieval
1820–30; < New Latin medi ( um ) aev ( um ) the middle age + -al 1. See medium, age
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How does medieval compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Use the adjective medieval to describe something from the Middle Ages, or something so backwards that it might as well be from the Middle Ages. A teacher once rapped your knuckles with a ruler as punishment? That’s practically medieval! Medieval can also have positive connotations, since the Middle Ages are remembered as a time of knights and courtly love, when chivalry and honor were highly valued. If a guy doesn’t mind getting his feet wet lifting his girlfriend over a big puddle, that’s medieval in a nice way. However, if he then dies of the bubonic plague, that’s medieval in a less nice way.
Vocabulary lists containing medieval
"The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell
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Fish in a Tree
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Medieval Europe - Introductory
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
While the technique has been used successfully in other archaeological investigations, it had never before been applied to medieval weapons of this type.
From Science Daily • Jun. 8, 2026
Although archaeologists believe the original shipment may have contained even more pieces, the surviving collection of 43 helmets already represents the largest known hoard of medieval helmets ever found in the western Mediterranean.
From Science Daily • Jun. 8, 2026
De Boisse says they are merely reviving an old French tradition of dining en masse with good local fare that goes back into the depths of medieval history.
From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026
These minute works are packed with detail: Their flickering candles, flitting moths and glowering skulls appear as if they’ve been excavated from some illuminated manuscript belonging to a long-vanished medieval sect.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026
These five factors help explain the limited success of experimental science in a medieval context.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
