mid-century modern

noun

mid-cen·tu·ry modern ˈmid-ˈsen(t)-sh(ə-)rē-

variants or midcentury modern

: a style of design (as in architecture and furniture) of roughly the 1930s through the mid-1960s characterized especially by clean lines, organic and streamlined forms, and lack of embellishment

But now we seem to be in the mood for Mies [van der Rohe] again. … We can't seem to get enough mid-century modern in design, advertising and furniture …—

Cathleen McGuigan, Newsweek, 25 June 2001

—often used before another noun

Maureen went with mid-century modern Eames plastic chairs that stand up to wet swimming trunks and are also right at home on the deck.—

James Servin, Family Circle, June 2013… the finest incarnation of mid-century modern American architecture. The developer employed teams of architects to design post-and-beam homes that featured floor-to-ceiling glass and, often, a central atrium, all of which brought light and views of trees and the hills beyond to small rooms.—

Scott Gummer, This Old House, July/August 2002

Word History

First Known Use

1953, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of mid-century modern was in 1953

See more words from the same year

Dictionary Entries Near mid-century modern

mid-central

mid-century modern

midcourse

See More Nearby Entries

Cite this Entry

Style

“Mid-century modern.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mid-century%20modern. Accessed 2 Jun. 2023.

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