middling

¹mid·dling

adjective \ˈmid-liŋ, -lən\

Definition of MIDDLING

1

: of middle, medium, or moderate size, degree, or quality

2

: mediocre, second-rate

3

: of, relating to, or being a middle class

— middling adverb

— mid·dling·ly \-lē\ adverb

Examples of MIDDLING

1. <tired of the city but not particularly interested in small-town life, he moved to a suburb of middling size>
2. <was disappointed in the renowned historian's latest book, which is only middling>

First Known Use of MIDDLING

15th century

Related to MIDDLING

Synonyms

average, intermediate, mean, median, medium, middle, midsize (also midsized), moderate, modest

Related Words

reasonable; common, commonplace, conventional, normal, popular, regular, routine, standard, typical, usual; adequate, passable, tolerable

Near Antonyms

excessive, extreme; exceptional, rare, strange, uncommon, unusual; distinctive, idiosyncratic, special, unique; individual, peculiar, private

Rhymes with MIDDLING

fiddling, riddling

²middling

noun

Definition of MIDDLING

1

: any of various commodities of intermediate size, quality, or position

2

plural but sing or plural in constr : a granular product of grain milling; especially : a wheat milling by-product used in animal feeds

First Known Use of MIDDLING

1543