DictionaryAI

medieval

USmi-DEE-vuhl/mɪdˈi.vəl/UKmed-ee-EE-vuhl/ˌmɛd.iˈiː.vəl/

UK spellingmediaeval

5 meanings of medieval

Practice

  1. 1
    middle agesadjective
    From the long period of European history between about 500 and 1500 AD.

    Like the time of knights, castles, and kings long ago.

    The castle was built during medieval times.

    We visited a museum full of medieval armor and weapons.

    Note
  2. 2
    brutaladjective
    Very harsh and violent, with no kindness shown at all.

    The punishment they gave him was downright medieval.

    That was a medieval way to treat a prisoner.

    Similarbrutal, barbaric, savage, vicious

    Note
  3. 3
    old-fashionedadjective
    So old-fashioned that it seems to belong to a much earlier time.

    Their office still uses medieval methods to file paperwork.

    His ideas about money feel completely medieval.

    Similarantiquated, archaic, outdated, old-fashioned, backward

    Oppositemodern, progressive

    Note

Less common meanings

  1. 4
    noun
    Someone living in the Middle Ages.
  2. 5
    noun
    A medieval example (of something aforementioned or understood from context).

Practice

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Origin

From French médiéval, which came from Latin words meaning "middle" and "age".