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Middle Kingdom

noun

Also called Middle Empire. the period in the history of ancient Egypt, c2000–1785 b.c., comprising the 11th to 14th dynasties.Compare New Kingdom, Old Kingdom.
History/Historical.
  1. the 18 inner provinces of China, taken collectively.
  2. (loosely) China.
the Chinese Empire: originally so called from its supposed location in the center of the earth.

Origin of Middle Kingdom

First recorded in 1655–65
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for middle kingdom

Middle Kingdom

noun

a period of Egyptian history extending from the late 11th to the 13th dynasty (?2040–?1670 bc)
  1. the former Chinese empire (from the belief that it lay at the centre of the earth)
  2. the original 18 provinces of China; China proper
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