media

play

noun me·dia \ ˈmē-dē-ə \

Definition of media

plural mediae play \-dē-ˌē\

[Late Latin, from Latin, feminine of medius; from the voiced stops' being regarded as intermediate between the tenues and the aspirates]

:a voiced (see voiced 2) stop (see ²stop 1b)

[New Latin, from Latin]

:the middle coat of the wall of a blood or lymph (see lymph 2) vessel consisting chiefly of circular muscle fibers

First Known Use of media

1841

media

noun, often attributive

Definition of media

plural medias

1 :a medium of cultivation, conveyance, or expression

Air is a media that conveys sound.

; especially :medium 2b

2 a singular or plural in construction :mass media

b medias plural :members of the mass media

Is media singular or plural?

The singular media and its plural medias seem to have originated in the field of advertising over 70 years ago; they are still so used without stigma in that specialized field. In most other applications media is used as a plural of medium. The popularity of the word in references to the agencies of mass communication is leading to the formation of a mass noun, construed as a singular.

- there's no basis for it. You know, the news media gets on to something
- —Edwin Meese 3d
- the media is less interested in the party's policies
- —James Lewis, Guardian Weekly

This use is not as well established as the mass-noun use of data and is likely to incur criticism especially in writing.

Origin and Etymology of media

plural of medium

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1922

See Words from the same year

Other Broadcasting Terms

continuity, dissolve, fade, feed, remote, residual, spike, wipe

Media

play

geographical name Me·dia \ ˈmē-dē-ə \

Definition of Media

ancient country and province of the Persian Empire in the northwestern part of modern Iran

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Median

play \-dē-ən\ adjective or noun

MEDIA Defined for Kids

media

play

noun me·dia \ ˈmē-dē-ə \

Definition of media for Students

:the system and organizations of communication through which information is spread to a large number of people Hint: Media can be used as a singular or a plural in writing and speaking.