medium-well

IPA/ˌmiː.di.əmˈwel/
IPA/ˌmiː.di.əmˈwel/

medium-well — adjective

1. a level of doneness for cooked meat, especially steak, where the meat is heated

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

a level of doneness for cooked meat, especially steak, where the meat is heated through yet keeps a narrow band of pink at the centre — firmer than medium but with a little pink left, unlike well-done which has no pink at all

Example

Chef Lee asked if I wanted my steak cooked medium-well or well-done.

cooked medium-well — common position after verb

The Watanabe family ordered their burgers medium-well so they would stay juicy but not look pink.

order medium-well — restaurant context

Common collocations
  • cooked medium-well
  • medium-well steak
  • medium-well burger
  • order it medium-well
  • done medium-well
Synonyms
Antonyms
  • rare

    opposite end of the doneness spectrum — a rare steak is seared outside but red and cool in the centre

  • well-done

    the next level past medium-well where all pink is gone and the meat is brown throughout

Usage Note

Use this term only for meats that are safe to eat with a trace of pink at the centre — typically beef, lamb, and certain cuts of pork. Chicken and poultry must always be cooked to well-done for safety.

Common Mistakes

I would like my steak medium-well done.
I would like my steak medium-well.
'well-done' is a single term for fully cooked meat; adding 'done' after 'medium-well' is redundant.
Can I have the chicken cooked medium-well?
Chicken should always be cooked to well-done for safety.
'medium-well' is only appropriate for beef, lamb, and some pork; poultry must have no pink at all.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Steak doneness follows a five-step scale from most pink to least. Rare (B1) has a cool red centre and is seared only on the outside. Medium-rare (B1) is warm with a deep pink middle — the most popular choice in steakhouses. Medium (B1) shows a lighter, warm pink band at the centre. Medium-well sits between medium and well-done: a thin line of pink remains, but the meat is mostly brown and quite firm. Well-done (B1) is fully brown throughout with no pink and the firmest texture. The difference between adjacent levels is about 5–10 °C of internal temperature. A guest who orders medium-well wants the meat thoroughly cooked but not dried out — a common preference for people who dislike the sight of raw-looking meat.

rare ↗medium-rare ↗medium ↗medium-well ↗well-done ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • cooked medium-well
  • ordered medium-well
  • done medium-well
  • prefer it medium-well

Etymology

LatinOld EnglishEnglish

Formed by combining the adjectives 'medium' (from Latin medius, meaning 'middle') and 'well' (from Old English wel, meaning 'to a full or complete extent'). The compound entered American English restaurant vocabulary in the mid-20th century as part of a standardised five-level doneness scale for beef steaks, alongside rare, medium-rare, medium, and well-done.