medieval

Alternative forms

• mediaeval, mediæval (nowadays used for archaizing effect)
• medireview (autocorrected misspelling)

Etymology

From French médiéval (“middle”), from Latin medium (“middle”) + aevum (“age”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌmɛd.i.ˈiː.vəl/, /ˌmiː.di.ˈiː.vəl/, /mɪd.ˈiː.vəl/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /mɪd.ˈi.vəl/, /ˌmɛdi.ˈi.vəl/

Adjective

medieval (comparative more medieval, superlative most medieval)

1. Of or relating to the Middle Ages, the period from approximately 500 to 1500 AD.
2. Having characteristics associated with the Middle Ages in popular, modern cultural perception:
   1. Archaic.
   2. Brutal.
      • 1969 March 24, New York Magazine, page 58:

        Brute force can get you into any apartment if you want to get medieval about it.

      • 2003, Robert Ludlum, The Janson Directive, page 579:

        "Oh, what a nifty idea," Collins said dryly. "Get a bunch of angry brothers with a blowtorch and some pliers and get medieval on his ass."

Noun

medieval (plural medievals)

1. Someone living in the Middle Ages.
2. A medieval example (of something aforementioned or understood from context).
   • Thank God for modern remedies: the medievals were often useless or even harmful.

Adjective

medieval

1. medieval

Pronunciation

• (Balearic) IPA^(key): /mə.di.əˈval/
• (Central) IPA^(key): /mə.di.əˈbal/
• (Valencian) IPA^(key): /me.di.eˈval/

Adjective

medieval (masculine and feminine plural medievals)

1. medieval

Adjective

medieval m, f (plural medievais)

1. medieval

Adjective

medieval m, f (plural medievais, comparable)

1. medieval

Alternative forms

• medioeval

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /medjeˈbal/, [meðjeˈβal]

Adjective

medieval (plural medievales)

1. medieval

Further reading

• “medieval” in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014.