medieval
/ˌmediˈiːvl/ (bre, ipa) · [mɪdˈivəl] /ˌmediˈiːvl/ (ame, ipa) · [mɪdˈivəl] /ˌmē-ˈdē-vəl mi-, ˌme-, -dē-ˈē-vəl/ (ame, mw)
medieval — adjective
- medievalpositive
- more medievalcomparative
- most medievalsuperlative
1. used for people, places, objects, stories, and events connected with Europe's Mi
used for people, places, objects, stories, and events connected with Europe's Middle Ages, the long period between the ancient world and the Renaissance.
Gita studied medieval church paintings in a library in Prague.
medieval + historical object
Joon wore a heavy cloak for the film's medieval battle scene.
medieval + scene from the period
Amira loves visiting medieval streets where the stone houses lean together.
The guide explained how medieval farmers paid rent to a local lord.
Our class built a small medieval castle from cardboard and string.
- modern
belonging to the present age
- contemporary
from the same period as us
- post-medieval
from the period after the Middle Ages
文法句型
medieval + noun
be + medieval
用法筆記
This sense is neutral and historical. It is most natural before nouns such as castle, church, town, art, warfare, and Europe when you are talking about the actual period.
常見錯誤
2. used to criticize a modern rule, attitude, tool, or system for seeming absurdly
used to criticize a modern rule, attitude, tool, or system for seeming absurdly far behind present-day standards.
Felix joked that the office still used a medieval booking system.
medieval + system as criticism
Tariq refused the medieval rule that women needed a husband's permission.
medieval + rule or attitude
The website's tiny buttons and grey text feel almost medieval now.
Ravindra thinks those medieval ideas about mental health do real harm.
Justin stared at the fax machine like it was medieval technology.
- antiquated
more formal and often used for systems, rules, or equipment
- outdated
the everyday word for something behind current standards
- archaic
stronger and especially common for language, customs, or laws
- backward
focuses on social attitudes or development, not historical imagery
- modern
designed for present-day needs
- progressive
supporting newer and fairer ideas
- up-to-date
matching current practice or information
文法句型
medieval + noun
look/feel/seem + medieval
用法筆記
This figurative sense is strongly disapproving. Distinguish it from sense 1: sense 1 simply places something in history, while sense 2 attacks a present-day practice or object for feeling cruel, ridiculous, or hopelessly outdated.
常見錯誤
medieval — noun
1. a person living during the period now called the Middle Ages.
a person living during the period now called the Middle Ages.
The novel follows a young medieval who joins a monastery after the famine.
a medieval + relative clause
In class, Antonia compared a medieval's breakfast with a modern office worker's.
possessive form: a medieval's
The game lets you play as a medieval trying to survive winter.
Sivan sketched each medieval in the market with different tools and shoes.
文法句型
a medieval
play/live as + a medieval
用法筆記
This noun is uncommon and often appears in historical writing, games, or fiction as a compact way to mean 'a person from medieval times'. It is countable, so it usually appears with an article, number, or determiner.