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“Medieval” is sometimes used as a term of disapproval for outdated ideas and customs.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
- 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
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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.
A museum has been given a grant to fund a project about a Bradford-born astronomer who was influenced by the work of medieval Islamic scientists.
From BBC
Just because the strident crunch of Freya Ridings' recent singles conjures up images of a medieval army riding into battle, that doesn't mean she's a warrior queen blessed with bottomless self-confidence.
From BBC
Among them is Law Castle in West Kilbride, Ayrshire, a restored medieval tower house built as a wedding gift for the daughter of King James II of Scotland available for offers over £1m.
From BBC
Keyes worked on a previous project that explored medieval techniques to produce manuscripts.
From BBC
The role of Earl Marshal dates from medieval times and has responsibility for arranging state ceremonies, including coronations, state funerals and the state opening of Parliament.
From BBC
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.
