51Թ

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medium

[ mee-dee-uhm ]

noun

plural media mediums
  1. a middle state or condition; mean.
  2. something intermediate in nature or degree.
  3. an intervening substance, as air, through which a force acts or an effect is produced.
  4. the element that is the natural habitat of an organism.
  5. surrounding objects, conditions, or influences; environment.
  6. an intervening agency, means, or instrument by which something is conveyed or accomplished:

    51Թs are a medium of expression.

  7. one of the means or channels of general communication, information, or entertainment in society, as newspapers, radio, or television.
  8. Biology. the substance in which specimens are displayed or preserved.
  9. Also called culture medium. Bacteriology. a liquid or solidified nutrient material suitable for the cultivation of microorganisms.
  10. a person through whom the spirits of the dead are alleged to be able to contact the living.
  11. Fine Arts.
    1. Painting. a liquid with which pigments are mixed.
    2. the material or technique with which an artist works:

      the medium of watercolor.

  12. a size of printing paper, 18½ × 23½ inches (47 × 60 centimeters) in England, 18 × 23 to 19 × 25 inches (46 × 58 to 48 × 64 centimeters) in America.
  13. Chiefly British. a size of drawing or writing paper, 17½ × 22 inches (44 × 56 centimeters).
  14. Also called medium strip. Midland U.S. median strip.
  15. in medium, Movies, Television. with the principal actors in the middle distance:

    The scene was shot in medium.



adjective

  1. about halfway between extremes, as of degree, amount, quality, position, or size:

    Cook over medium heat. He is of medium height.

    Synonyms: , ,

medium

/ ˈːɪə /

adjective

  1. midway between extremes; average

    a medium size

  2. (of a colour) reflecting or transmitting a moderate amount of light Compare light 1 dark

    a medium red

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. an intermediate or middle state, degree, or condition; mean

    the happy medium

  2. an intervening substance or agency for transmitting or producing an effect; vehicle

    air is a medium for sound

  3. a means or agency for communicating or diffusing information, news, etc, to the public

    television is a powerful medium

  4. a person supposedly used as a spiritual intermediary between the dead and the living
  5. the substance in which specimens of animals and plants are preserved or displayed
  6. biology short for culture medium
  7. the substance or surroundings in which an organism naturally lives or grows
  8. art
    1. the category of a work of art, as determined by its materials and methods of production

      the medium of wood engraving

    2. the materials used in a work of art
  9. any solvent in which pigments are mixed and thinned
  10. any one of various sizes of writing or printing paper, esp 18 1 2 by 23 1 2 inches or 17 1 2 by 22 inches ( small medium )
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

medium

/ ŧŧ-ə /

, Plural media

  1. A substance, such as agar, in which bacteria or other microorganisms are grown for scientific purposes.
  2. A substance that makes possible the transfer of energy from one location to another, especially through waves. For example, matter of sufficient density can be a medium for sound waves, which transfer mechanical energy.
  3. See more at wave
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Usage Note

See media 1.
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Usage

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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of medium1

First recorded in 1575–85; from Latin: “the middle,” noun use of neuter of medius “m”; mid 1
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of medium1

C16: from Latin: neuter singular of medius middle
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Idioms and Phrases

see happy medium .
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

He could not care less if the media don't like him.

From

Beauty standards are shaped by social media and celebrity culture, said Dr Beth Daniels, director of the Centre for Appearance Research at UWE Bristol.

From

Social media, meanwhile, is already awash with doubt over Keoghan's ability to deliver a consistent Scouse accent, questioning his attempts in Saltburn.

From

A picture of Dabiri and his wife posing in front of MV Plancius, which was bound for the South Pole, circulated widely on social media and caused outrage in Iran.

From

With line pairings jumbled and players traded so frequently in modern hockey, it has become difficult for fans and the media to develop an association with particular combinations.

From

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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