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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.
Examples of medieval in a Sentence
Catherine Santino, People.com, 1 Aug. 2025
The capital, also called San Marino is located in the slopes of Monte Titano and its known for its medieval walled old town and narrow cobblestone streets.
—Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025
Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 18 July 2025
Mysterious medieval ruins fleck otherwise untouched vistas that are often shrouded in mist, and through them, rare animals roam the lowlands, and towering waterfalls meander from above.
—Andrea Bussell, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Medieval.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/medieval. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
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