Middle Ages

plural noun

: the period of European history from about a.d. 500 to about 1500

Examples of Middle Ages in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Now, Lora Popov is living it at Yazsh At some point — likely during Europe’s Middle Ages — a strain of Central American Cucurbita maxima reached South Asia via European explorers, though evidence is scarce. Bradley Hohulin, IndyStar, 19 Sep. 2025 Quiet countryside villages like Naumburg in Saxony-Anhalt and Quedlinburg in the Harz Mountains will take you back to the High Middle Ages and medieval times, respectively. AFAR Media, 18 Sep. 2025 Today’s Wordle Etymology The word trick comes into English in the late Middle Ages. Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025 The origins of this traditional outfit are hazy, but white smocks had been worn since the Middle Ages by Basque peasants, and they were popularized by one of the working-class peñas, or social clubs, after 1929. Tony Perrottet, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 June 2025 The skeleton being analyzed is from a man who lived in the late Middle Ages (1300 C.E. to 1536 C.E.) and sustained his knee injury during his 20's. Stephanie Edwards, Discover Magazine, 16 May 2025 How did this precedent get set in the early Middle Ages — and what might the new pope’s name be? Morgan Severson, CNN Money, 6 May 2025 The city goes car-free for five days, allowing travelers, merchants, carriages, and knights to bring the Middle Ages back to life. Carissa & Dino Tozzi, Travel + Leisure, 10 Feb. 2025 Valentino's first couture show by Alessandro Michele offered voluminous dresses... ... and nods to Ancien Régime, the social and political order that existed in France from the late Middle Ages until the French Revolution. Alice Pfeiffer, CNN, 31 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1616, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Middle Ages was in 1616

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Cite this Entry

“Middle Ages.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Middle%20Ages. Accessed 27 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

Middle Ages

plural noun
: the period of European history from about a.d. 500 to about 1500

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