Medieval, Medievalism Me`di·e"val, Me`di·e"val·ism Me`di*e"val*ist Same as Medi...val , Medi...valism , etc.

Medina epoch Me·di"na ep"och [ From Medina in New York.] (Geol.) A subdivision of the Niagara period in the American upper Silurian, characterized by the formations known as the Oneida conglomerate, and the Medina sandstone. See the Chart of Geology .

Medino Me·di"no (me*dē"no) noun Same as Para .

Mediocral Me"di·o`cral adjective Mediocre. [ R.]

Mediocre Me"di·o`cre (mē"dĭ*ō`kẽr) adjective [ French médiocre , Latin mediocris , from medius middle. See Mid .] Of a middle quality; of but a moderate or low degree of excellence; indifferent; ordinary. " A very mediocre poet." Pope.

Mediocre Me"di·o`cre noun 1. A mediocre person. [ R.]

2. A young monk who was excused from performing a portion of a monk's duties. Shipley.

Mediocrist Me"di·o`crist noun A mediocre person. [ R.]

Mediocrity Me`di·oc"ri·ty noun [ French médiocrité , Latin mediocritas .]

1. The quality of being mediocre; a middle state or degree; a moderate degree or rate. "A mediocrity of success." Bacon.

2. Moderation; temperance. [ Obsolete] Hooker.

Mediostapedial Me`di·o·sta·pe"di·al adjective [ Latin medius middle + English stapedial .] (Anat.) Pertaining to that part of the columella of the ear which, in some animals, connects the stapes with the other parts of the columella. -- noun The mediostapedial part of the columella.

Medioxumous Me`di·ox"u·mous adjective [ Latin medioxumus middlemost.] Intermediate. [ Obsolete] Dr. H. More.

Meditance Med"i·tance noun Meditation. [ Obsolete]

Meditate Med"i·tate intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Meditated ; present participle & verbal noun Meditating .] [ Latin meditatus , past participle of meditari to meditate; confer Greek ... to learn, English mind .] To keep the mind in a state of contemplation; to dwell on anything in thought; to think seriously; to muse; to cogitate; to reflect. Jer. Taylor.

In his law doth he meditate day and night.

Ps. i. 2.

Meditate Med"i·tate transitive verb 1. To contemplate; to keep the mind fixed upon; to study. "Blessed is the man that doth meditate good things." Ecclus. xiv. 20.

2. To purpose; to intend; to design; to plan by revolving in the mind; as, to meditate a war.

I meditate to pass the remainder of life in a state of undisturbed repose.

Washington.

Syn. -- To consider; ponder; weigh; revolve; study. -- To Meditate , Contemplate , Intend . We meditate a design when we are looking out or waiting for the means of its accomplishment; we contemplate it when the means are at hand, and our decision is nearly or quite made. To intend is stronger, implying that we have decided to act when an opportunity may offer. A general meditates an attack upon the enemy; he contemplates or intends undertaking it at the earliest convenient season.

Meditation Med`i·ta"tion noun [ Middle English meditacioun , French méditation , from Latin meditatio .] 1. The act of meditating; close or continued thought; the turning or revolving of a subject in the mind; serious contemplation; reflection; musing.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight.

Ps. xix. 14.

2. Thought; -- without regard to kind. [ Obsolete]

With wings as swift
As meditation or the thoughts of love.

Shak.

Meditatist Med"i·ta`tist noun One who is given to meditation.

Meditative Med"i·ta·tive adjective [ Latin meditativus : confer French méditatif .] Disposed to meditate, or to meditation; as, a meditative man; a meditative mood. -- Med"i*ta*tive*ly , adverb -- Med"i*ta*tive*ness , noun

Mediterranean Med`i·ter·ra"ne·an adjective [ Latin mediterraneus ; medius middle + terra land. See Mid , and Terrace .]

1. Inclosed, or nearly inclosed, with land; as, the Mediterranean Sea, between Europe and Africa.

2. Inland; remote from the ocean. [ Obsolete]

Cities, as well mediterranean as maritime.

Holland.

3. Of or pertaining to the Mediterranean Sea; as, Mediterranean trade; a Mediterranean voyage.

Mediterranean fruit fly Mediterranean fruit fly A two-winged fly ( Ceratitis capitata ) with black and white markings, native of the Mediterranean countries, but now widely distributed. Its larva lives in ripening oranges, peaches, and other fruits, causing them to decay and fall.

Mediterraneous Med`i·ter·ra"ne·ous adjective Inland. Sir T. Browne.

Medium Me"di·um noun ; plural Latin Media , E . Mediums . [ Latin medium the middle, from medius middle. See Mid , and confer Medius .] 1. That which lies in the middle, or between other things; intervening body or quantity. Hence, specifically: (a) Middle place or degree; mean.

The just medium . . . lies between pride and abjection.

L'Estrange.

(b) (Math.) See Mean . (c) (Logic) The mean or middle term of a syllogism; that by which the extremes are brought into connection.

2. A substance through which an effect is transmitted from one thing to another; as, air is the common medium of sound. Hence: The condition upon which any event or action occurs; necessary means of motion or action; that through or by which anything is accomplished, conveyed, or carried on; specifically, in animal magnetism, spiritualism, etc., a person through whom the action of another being is said to be manifested and transmitted.

Whether any other liquors, being made mediums , cause a diversity of sound from water, it may be tried.

Bacon.

I must bring together
All these extremes; and must remove all mediums .

Denham.

3. An average. [ R.]

A medium of six years of war, and six years of peace.

Burke.

4. A trade name for printing and writing paper of certain sizes. See Paper .

5. (Paint.) The liquid vehicle with which dry colors are ground and prepared for application.

Circulating medium , a current medium of exchange, whether coin, bank notes, or government notes. -- Ethereal medium (Physics) , the ether. -- Medium of exchange , that which is used for effecting an exchange of commodities -- money or current representatives of money.

Medium Me"di·um adjective Having a middle position or degree; mean; intermediate; medial; as, a horse of medium size; a decoction of medium strength.

Medium-sized Me"di·um-sized` adjective Having a medium size; as, a medium-sized man.

Medius Me"di·us noun ; plural Medii . [ New Latin , from Latin medius middle. See Medium .] (Anat.) The third or middle finger; the third digit, or that which corresponds to it.

Mediæval Me`di·æ"val adjective [ Latin medius middle + aevum age. See Middle , and Age .] Of or relating to the Middle Ages; as, mediæval architecture. [ Written also medieval .]

Mediævalism Me`di·æ"val·ism noun The method or spirit of the Middle Ages; devotion to the institutions and practices of the Middle Ages; a survival from the Middle Ages. [ Written also medievalism .]

Mediævalist Me`di·æ"val·ist noun One who has a taste for, or is versed in, the history of the Middle Ages; one in sympathy with the spirit or forms of the Middle Ages. [ Written also medievalist .]

Mediævally Me`di·æ"val·ly adverb In the manner of the Middle Ages; in accordance with mediævalism.

Mediævals Me`di·æ"vals noun plural The people who lived in the Middle Ages. Ruskin.

Medjidie, Medjidieh Me·dji"di·e, Me·dji"di·eh noun [ Turk. majīdieh (prop. fem. adjective , from Arabic mejīd glorious); -- so called after the sultan Abdul Mejid , lit., "servant of the Glorious One," i.e., of God.] 1. (a) A silver coin of Turkey formerly rated at twenty, but since 1880 at nineteen, piasters (about 83 cents). (b) A gold coin of Turkey equal to one hundred piastres ($4.396 or 18s. ¾d.); a lira, or Turkish pound.

2. A Turkish honorary order established in 1851 by Abdul-Mejid, having as its badge a medallion surrounded by seven silver rays and crescents. It is often conferred on foreigners.

Medlar Med"lar noun [ Middle English medler medlar tree, Old French meslier , French néflier , Latin mespilum , mespilus , Greek ..., .... Confer Naseberry .] A tree of the genus Mespilus ( M. Germanica ); also, the fruit of the tree. The fruit is something like a small apple, but has a bony endocarp. When first gathered the flesh is hard and austere, and it is not eaten until it has begun to decay.

Japan medlar (Botany) , the loquat. See Loquat . -- Neapolitan medlar (Botany) , a kind of thorn tree ( Cratægus Azarolus ); also, its fruit.

Medle Med"le transitive verb [ See Meddle .] To mix; to mingle; to meddle. [ Written also medly .] [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Medley Med"ley noun ; plural Medleys . [ Middle English medlee , Old French meslée , medlée , mellée , French mêlée . See Meddle , and confer MelÉe , Mellay .] 1. A mixture; a mingled and confused mass of ingredients, usually inharmonious; a jumble; a hodgepodge; -- often used contemptuously.

This medley of philosophy and war.

Addison.

Love is a medley of endearments, jars,
Suspicions, reconcilements, wars.

W. Walsh.

2. The confusion of a hand to hand battle; a brisk, hand to hand engagement; a mêlée. [ Obsolete] Holland.

3. (Mus.) A composition of passages detached from several different compositions; a potpourri.

» Medley is usually applied to vocal, potpourri to instrumental, compositions.

4. A cloth of mixed colors. Fuller.

Medley Med"ley adjective 1. Mixed; of mixed material or color. [ Obsolete] "A medlé coat ." Chaucer.

2. Mingled; confused. Dryden.

Medly Med"ly transitive verb See Medle . Johnson.

Médoc Mé`doc" noun [ Confer Mayduke .] A class of claret wines, including several varieties, from the district of Médoc in the department of Gironde.

Medregal Med"re·gal noun (Zoology) See Bonito , 3.

Medrick Med"rick noun [ Etymol. uncertain.] (Zoology) A species of gull or tern. [ Prov.] Lowell.

Medulla Me·dul"la noun [ Latin ] 1. Marrow; pith; hence, essence. [ Obsolete] Milton.

2. (Anat.) The marrow of bones; the deep or inner portion of an organ or part; as, the medulla , or medullary substance, of the kidney; specifically, the medula oblongata.

3. (Botany) A soft tissue, occupying the center of the stem or branch of a plant; pith.