Definition of medieval
- medieval history
- medieval architecture
- has medieval ideas about the role of women in our society
They're using a computer system that seems positively medieval by today's standards.
get rid of that medieval kerosene stove—it stinks and it's dangerous
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'medieval.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'medieval.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
: of or relating to the Middle Ages : of or relating to the period of European history from about A.D. 500 to about 1500
: very old : too old to be useful or acceptable
See words that rhyme with medieval Spanish Central: Translation of medieval Nglish: Translation of medieval for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of medieval for Arabic speakers
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