midden

noun

mid·​den ˈmi-dᵊn 

1

: dunghill

2

a

: a refuse heap

especially : kitchen midden

b

: a small pile (as of seeds, bones, or leaves) gathered by a rodent (such as a pack rat)

Examples of midden in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In East Chisenbury, sheep dominated the feast, and while the midden contained hundreds of thousands of animals, research showed they were, in contrast, locally sourced. —Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 13 Sep. 2025

At others middens, livestock was reared locally, according to the study. —Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 11 Sep. 2025

This and oral reports evidenced that two even larger middens once existed nearby. —Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Feb. 2025

This behavior could help explain why historical Florida manatee populations that were hunted by humans are absent from middens and rarely mentioned in historical accounts. —Beth Brady, Sun Sentinel, 21 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English midding, from Old Norse *mykdyngja, from myki dung + dyngja manure pile — more at dung

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing midden

• kitchen midden

Rhymes for midden

• bidden
• hidden
• ridden
• swidden
• bedridden
• unbidden
• gramicidin
• overridden

Kids Definition

midden

noun

mid·​den ˈmid-ᵊn 

: a refuse heap

especially : a mound (as of shells and bones) marking the place where prehistoric humans once lived