middle

1 of 2

adjective

mid·​dle ˈmi-dᵊl 

1

: equally distant from the extremes : medial, central

the middle house in the row

2

: being at neither extreme : intermediate

of middle size

3

Middle

a

: constituting a division intermediate between those prior and later or upper and lower

Middle Paleozoic

b

: constituting a period of a language or literature intermediate between one called Old and one called New or Modern

Middle Dutch

4

of a verb form or voice : typically asserting that a person or thing both performs and is affected by the action represented

middle

2 of 2

noun

1

: a middle part, point, or position

the middle of the street

parts his hair in the middle

2

: the central portion of the human body : waist

3

: the position of being among or in the midst of something

in the middle of the crowd

4

: something intermediate between extremes : mean

5

: the center of an offensive or defensive formation

especially : the area between the second baseman and the shortstop

see also:

in the middle in the middle of middle of nowhere play both ends against the middle

Synonyms of middle

Adjective

• halfway
• mid

Noun

• mean
• midpoint
• middle ground
• norm
• medium
• middle of the road

Examples of middle in a Sentence

Adjective

during the century's middle decades

High temperatures today should be in the middle 80s.

Franklin D. Roosevelt's middle initial stood for “Delano.”

Noun

A good essay will have a clear beginning, middle, and end.

He stood exactly in the middle of the room.

She opened the book to the middle and began to read.

The car stopped in the middle of the road.

The house should be finished by the middle of next summer.

The beginning and ending of the movie were good, but the middle was pretty boring.

She put her arms around his middle.

He tied the sash around his middle.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

So, arguably, does his earlier, less sensational but equally radical Passing By (1974), charting the beginning, middle, and end of an ordinary love affair between two unremarkable young men. — Simon Callow, The New York Review of Books, 19 Sep. 2026

The upper concourse is at the top of the middle deck and stairs lead up from there to the upper deck. — Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026

Noun

The upcoming Harvest Moon will creep in by mid-week and last until the middle of next week, as well, Libra. — Kyle Thomas, PEOPLE, 20 Sep. 2026

After Sung-Mun Song struck out, Salas batted for Freddy Fermin and grounded a 0-2 fastball up the middle for San Diego’s 11th walk-off win of the year. — Miami Herald, 20 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English middel, from Old English; akin to Old English midde

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing middle

• down the middle
• in the middle
• in the middle of
• in the middle of nowhere
• middle age
• middle C
• middle-class
• middle distance
• middle ear
• middle finger
• middle game
• middle ground
• middle lamella
• middle management
• middle name
• middle of nowhere
• middle-of-the-road
• middle school
• middle-sized
• middle temporal artery
• middle term
• piggy in the middle
• pig in the middle
• play both ends against the middle
• the middle-aged
• thick around the middle

Rhymes for middle

• diddle
• fiddle
• griddle
• riddle

Kids Definition

middle

1 of 2 adjective

mid·​dle ˈmid-ᵊl 

1

: equally distant from the ends or sides

2

: being at neither extreme : intermediate

of middle size

3

capitalized : constituting an intermediate division or period

Middle Paleozoic

middle

2 of 2 noun

1

: a middle part, point, or position : center

2

: waist sense 1a

3

: the position of being among or in the midst of something

in the middle of the crowd