medieval

See also médiéval

English

Alternative forms

• mediaeval, mediæval (non-contemporary)

Etymology

Latin, medium (“middle”) aevum (“age”)

Pronunciation

Wikipedia

• (UK) IPA: /med.i.ˈi.vəl/, /mi.di.ˈi.vəl/, /mɪd.ˈi.vəl/
• (US) IPA: /mɪd.ˈi.vəl/

Adjective

medieval (comparative more medieval, superlative most medieval)

1. of or relating to the Middle Ages, perhaps circa 500 to circa 1500 CE.
2. having characteristics associated with the Middle Ages.
3. archaic.
4. brutal.
   • 1969 Mar 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."

Derived terms

• medievaldom
• medievalism
• medievalist
• medievalize

Translations

of or relating to the Middle Ages

Catalan: medieval Chinese: Mandarin: 中世紀的 (zh), 中世纪的 (zh) (Zhōngshìjì de) Czech: středověký (cs) m. Danish: middelalderlig (da) Dutch: middeleeuws, mediëvaal (mediaevaal) Esperanto: mezepoka (eo) Finnish: keskiaikainen (fi) French: médiéval (fr) m. Galician: medieval (gl) German: mittelalterlich (de)

Hungarian: középkori (hu) Ido: mezepoka (io) Italian: medievale (it) m. and f. Latin: mediaevalis Polish: średniowieczny (pl) m. Portuguese: medieval (pt) m. and f. Russian: средневековый (ru) (srednevekóvyj) Slovene: srednjeveški (sl) m. Spanish: medieval (es) Swedish: medeltida (sv)

having characteristics associated with the Middle Ages

Dutch: middeleeuws, mediëvaal (mediaevaal) Finnish: keskiaikainen (fi) French: médiéval (fr) m.

German: mittelalterlich (de) Portuguese: medieval (pt) m. and f.

brutal — see brutal

Noun

medieval (plural medievals)

1. Someone living in the Middle Ages.
2. A medieval one.
   • Thank God for modern remedies, the medievals were often useless or even harmful.

Translations

a medieval one

Dutch: middeleeuws (nl) French: médiéval (fr) m.

Portuguese: medieval (pt) m. and f.

someone living in the Middle Ages

Dutch: middeleeuwer (nl) m. French: médiéval (fr) m.

Portuguese: medieval (pt) m. and f.

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Galician

Adjective

medieval m. and f. (plural medievais)

1. medieval

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Spanish

Adjective

medieval m. and f. (plural medievales)

1. medieval