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With its roots medi-, meaning "middle", and ev-, meaning "age", medieval literally means "of the Middle Ages". In this case, middle means "between the Roman empire and the Renaissance"—that is, after the fall of the great Roman state and before the "rebirth" of culture that we call the Renaissance. This same period used to be called the "Dark Ages", since it was believed that in these years civilization all but vanished. And indeed, for most Europeans in these centuries, it was a time of poverty, famine, plague, and superstition, rather than the age of magic, dazzling swordplay, towering castles, and knights in splendid armor displayed in today's graphic novels and video games.
Synonyms of medieval
Adjective
Examples of medieval in a Sentence
Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026
Produced by Heavy Lifting Productions in association with 3 Arts Entertainment, Knighted follows a missing person’s case that spirals into an absurd documentary-style exploration of the sinister secrets lurking beneath the enchanting pageantry of a local medieval dinner theatre.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 11 June 2026
Literary Hub, 10 June 2026
Researchers have advanced the study of late-medieval mercury treatments by analyzing concentrations in dental calculus instead of bone for the first time.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 17 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Medieval.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/medieval. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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