medieval
Other forms: medievally
Use the adjective medieval to describe something from the Middle Ages, or something so backwards that it might as well be from the Middle Ages. A teacher once rapped your knuckles with a ruler as punishment? That’s practically medieval!
Medieval can also have positive connotations, since the Middle Ages are remembered as a time of knights and courtly love, when chivalry and honor were highly valued. If a guy doesn’t mind getting his feet wet lifting his girlfriend over a big puddle, that’s medieval in a nice way. However, if he then dies of the bubonic plague, that’s medieval in a less nice way.
-
relating to or belonging to the Middle Ages
-
characteristic of the time of chivalry and knighthood in the Middle Ages
-
as if belonging to the Middle Ages; old-fashioned and unenlightened
- MLA
- APA
- Chicago
Vocabulary lists containing medieval
After a shipwreck, Rainsford thinks he's safe when he washes ashore a mysterious island — but once he meets the eccentric General Zaroff, he realizes his problems have just begun. Read the full text here.
In this novel, a dedicated teacher and new friendships help Ally understand and come to terms with her dyslexia — and to realize that there's no shame in being different.
Don’t know a fief from a friar? Then you'll want to study this list of terms related to medieval Europe. Take a spin through the Middle Ages and learn about the Black Plague, the Crusades, and the legendary kingdom of Camelot.