medium

American  

[mee-dee-uhm] / ˈmi di əm /

noun

• media,
  plural
• mediums
  plural

1. a middle state or condition; mean.

2. something intermediate in nature or degree.

3. an intervening substance, as air, through which a force acts or an effect is produced.

4. the element that is the natural habitat of an organism.

5. surrounding objects, conditions, or influences; environment.

6. an intervening agency, means, or instrument by which something is conveyed or accomplished.

   Words are a medium of expression.

7. one of the means or channels of general communication, information, or entertainment in society, as newspapers, radio, or television.

8. Biology. the substance in which specimens are displayed or preserved.

9. Also called culture medium.  Bacteriology. a liquid or solidified nutrient material suitable for the cultivation of microorganisms.

10. a person through whom the spirits of the dead are alleged to be able to contact the living.

11. Fine Arts.

    1. Painting. a liquid with which pigments are mixed.

    2. the material or technique with which an artist works.

       the medium of watercolor.

12. a size of printing paper, 18½ × 23½ inches (47 × 60 centimeters) in England, 18 × 23 to 19 × 25 inches (46 × 58 to 48 × 64 centimeters) in America.

13. Chiefly British. a size of drawing or writing paper, 17½ × 22 inches (44 × 56 centimeters).

14. Also called medium strip.  Midland U.S. median strip.

15. Movies, Television. in medium, with the principal actors in the middle distance.

    The scene was shot in medium.

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adjective

1. about halfway between extremes, as of degree, amount, quality, position, or size.

   Cook over medium heat. He is of medium height.

   Synonyms:

   middling, mean, average

medium British  

/ ˈmiːdɪəm /

adjective

1. midway between extremes; average

   a medium size

2. (of a colour) reflecting or transmitting a moderate amount of light Compare light 1 dark

   a medium red

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noun

1. an intermediate or middle state, degree, or condition; mean

   the happy medium

2. an intervening substance or agency for transmitting or producing an effect; vehicle

   air is a medium for sound

3. a means or agency for communicating or diffusing information, news, etc, to the public

   television is a powerful medium

4. a person supposedly used as a spiritual intermediary between the dead and the living

5. the substance in which specimens of animals and plants are preserved or displayed

6. biology short for culture medium

7. the substance or surroundings in which an organism naturally lives or grows

8. art

   1. the category of a work of art, as determined by its materials and methods of production

      the medium of wood engraving

   2. the materials used in a work of art

9. any solvent in which pigments are mixed and thinned

10. any one of various sizes of writing or printing paper, esp 18 1/ 2 by 23 1/ 2 inches or 17 1/ 2 by 22 inches ( small medium )

medium Scientific  

/ mē′dē-əm /

• media
  plural

1. A substance, such as agar, in which bacteria or other microorganisms are grown for scientific purposes.

2. A substance that makes possible the transfer of energy from one location to another, especially through waves. For example, matter of sufficient density can be a medium for sound waves, which transfer mechanical energy.

3. See more at wave

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medium Idioms  

1. see happy medium.

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Usage

See media ¹.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• media
  plural
• mediums
  plural

Etymology

Origin of medium

First recorded in 1575–85; from Latin: “the middle,” noun use of neuter of medius “middle”; see mid ¹

Explanation

Think of the word medium as something in between. In clothing, we have small, medium, and large; in communications, it's what signals travel through from broadcast to receiver; and in spiritual terms, it’s a person who converses with the dead. The word medium — from the Latin adjective medius, "middle" — has several meanings that all center on the idea of being in between. From the air that carries the broadcast signal, to the person who transmits messages from the dead, to the measurement of the "doneness" of your steak, medium means something that lies between two other points, people, or levels.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

medium media mediums

Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat as needed to maintain it.

From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026

Ultimately, in the medium to long term, “these condos will bounce back,” Levitch said.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 12, 2026

Hardware is an adornment that exists comfortably in both the low and high, because it forces any medium to meet it where it’s at.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026

Modi, a keen user of X, has turned to Instagram -- issuing his first vertical videos to tap into the youth medium of choice.

From Barron's ● Aug. 8, 2026

On my affording an opportunity, through the medium of the currency of the realm, of the allaying, at a later period, this beneficial evil, one of the men remarked:—

From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker

TV and online websites remain the most used sources for news, but more and more of us say we also get news from social media, according to media watchdog Ofcom.

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026

There is an inherent tension in political social media.

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026

Local media suggested that her family had also been informed that she was alive.

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026

Although many were clutching their pearls over what the U.K. tabloids dubbed Megxit, Prince Harry and Markle used their time on the golden coast to tackle a variety of lifestyle, media and entertainment projects.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026

Engravings of the Arctic from his upcoming book were previewed in the news media, increasing its soaring advance sales.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

The thesis is enlarged by a small group of sculptures, and works on paper and other supports, in many different mediums and techniques.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026

“I love the opportunity of learning new mediums and being able to explore my feelings and my history through my work.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026

Yes, he was so wedded to it, this idea that different, new mediums liberate the ones that come before.

From Salon ● Jul. 5, 2026

On the race runs, the picture for McLaren looked less positive - Norris was not competitive with Antonelli when both were using the soft tyres, nor Piastri with Russell on the mediums.

From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026

Though there were other famous mediums in England, Maggie’s status as one of the originators allowed her to make a decent living.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

Related Words

• channel
• form
• instrument
• mechanism
• tool
• vehicle