medieval

adjective

ˌmē-ˈdē-vəl How to pronounce medieval (audio)
variants also mediaeval
Definition of medievalnext
as in archaic
having passed its time of use or usefulness get rid of that medieval kerosene stove—it stinks and it's dangerous

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of medieval In an act of pure showmanship, Bolton has placed mannequins clothed in fleshlike skintight garments in a tall glass vitrine visible to museumgoers heading toward the medieval wing—a seductive preview that may help lure them away from Arms and Armor. — Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 29 June 2026 In Umbria, there’s the medieval hamlet of Solomeo, where Brunello Cucinelli’s luxury empire is headquartered across an array of historic buildings, including a library, a theater, and its very own vineyard. — Liam Hess, Vogue, 29 June 2026 Enter Peskesi and the dozens of regenerative and natural wineries scattered across the southwest of Crete near quiet, picturesque Chania, which form its wine trail, a range from medieval-palace tasting rooms to sprawling vineyard operations. — Shannon McMahon, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 July 2026 The official Alsace Wine Route runs about 100 miles from Marlenheim in the Vosges Mountains to Thann including several storybook villages, rolling vineyards and medieval architecture. — Emese MacZko, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for medieval
Recent Examples of Synonyms for medieval
  1. archaic
  2. obsolete
  3. antiquated
  4. prehistoric
Adjective
  • The Spanish is archaic, the intonations are complicated, and the words tumble over themselves like a hard charge toward the goal posts.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2026
  • For golf cart operators, that evolution absolutely begins by ditching archaic lead-acid relics engineered for a bygone era.
    — Malana VanTyler, USA Today, 24 June 2026
Definition of archaic
Adjective
  • The professors were bitter and angry—angry at a university, a state, and a country where their fields of study were regarded as obsolete, useful only for padding the schedules of STEM students or as a backstop for STEM burnouts.
    — Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
  • All devices will eventually become obsolete and be disposed of, but until such time, the connectivity models mean that almost all products are now IoT devices and require whole-life management.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of obsolete
Adjective
  • By wrapping antiquated infrastructure in agentic interfaces, these workers can unlock near-native operational efficiency without a risky, catastrophic core system overhaul.
    — Barney Krishnan, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
  • But what, exactly, is that robot doing watching fireworks next to a little boy and a man in antiquated garb?
    — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 29 June 2026
Definition of antiquated
Adjective
  • The museum uses Akrotiri as a point of reference for the life and culture of prehistoric Thira.
    — Noel Burgess, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
  • The fraught subject of the proper disposition of those human remains has taken on a new sensitivity — both for the prehistoric people’s Native American successors in Florida, and for the archaeologists and developers encountering them.
    — Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 30 June 2026
Definition of prehistoric

Browse Nearby Words

medics
medieval
mediocre
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Medieval.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/medieval. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on medieval

Nglish: Translation of medieval for Spanish Speakers

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