- an intermediate or middle state, degree, or condition; mean: the happy medium
- an intervening substance or agency for transmitting or producing an effect; vehicle
- a means or agency for communicating or diffusing information, news, etc, to the public
- a person supposedly used as a spiritual intermediary between the dead and the living
- the substance in which specimens of animals and plants are preserved or displayed
short for culture medium - the substance or surroundings in which an organism naturally lives or grows
- the category of a work of art, as determined by its materials and methods of production
- the materials used in a work of art
- any solvent in which pigments are mixed and thinned
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
me•di•um /ˈmidiəm/USA pronunciation
n., pl. -di•a /-diə/USA pronunciation for 1-9. 11. in Unabridged dictionary -di•ums for 1-11. 17. in Unabridged dictionary, adj..
n. [countable]
adj. [usually: before a noun]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026n. [countable]
- a middle state or condition:He had reached a happy medium: not too rich, not too poor.
- Physicsa substance, as air, through which a force acts or is carried:the medium of air through which sound waves travel.
- a means by which something is accomplished:Words are a medium of expression.
- Dialect Termsone of the means or channels of general communication or entertainment in society, as newspapers or television.
- surrounding conditions or influences;
environment:In the air the bird was in its natural medium. - one who claims to be able to contact the spirits of the dead.
- Fine Artthe material or technique with which an artist works.
adj. [usually: before a noun]
- halfway between extremes in degree, quantity, position, or quality:He was of medium build.
me•di•um
(mē′dē əm),USA pronunciation n., pl. -di•a (-dē ə)USA pronunciation for 1–9, 11, -di•ums for 1–11, 14, adj.
n.
adj.
n.
- a middle state or condition;
mean. - something intermediate in nature or degree.
- Physicsan intervening substance, as air, through which a force acts or an effect is produced.
- the element that is the natural habitat of an organism.
- surrounding objects, conditions, or influences;
environment. - an intervening agency, means, or instrument by which something is conveyed or accomplished:Words are a medium of expression.
- Dialect Termsone of the means or channels of general communication, information, or entertainment in society, as newspapers, radio, or television.
- [Biol.]the substance in which specimens are displayed or preserved.
- Also called culture medium. [Bacteriol.]a liquid or solidified nutrient material suitable for the cultivation of microorganisms.
- a person through whom the spirits of the dead are alleged to be able to contact the living.
- Fine Art
- [Painting.]a liquid with which pigments are mixed.
- the material or technique with which an artist works:the medium of watercolor.
- Printinga size of printing paper, 18½ × 23½ in. (47 × 60 cm) in England, 18 × 23 to 19 × 25 in. (46 × 58 to 48 × 64 cm) in America.
- Printing[Chiefly Brit.]a size of drawing or writing paper, 17½ × 22 in. (44 × 56 cm).
- Transport, Dialect TermsAlso called medium strip. [Midland U.S.]See median strip.
- Show Businessin medium, [Motion Pictures, Television.]with the principal actors in the middle distance:The scene was shot in medium.
adj.
- about halfway between extremes, as of degree, amount, quality, position, or size:Cook over medium heat. He is of medium height.
- Latin: the middle, noun, nominal use of neuter of medius middle. See mid1
- 1575–85
- 16. average, mean, middling.
- 7. See media 1.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
medium /ˈmiːdɪəm/ adj n ( pl -dia /-dɪə/, -diums)media1
'medium' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
absorption spectrum
- agar
- alpine
- alpinist
- amber
- amontillado
- arabinose
- atmosphere
- baboon
- base
- Bengal
- bice
- bloomer
- Bombay
- boxer
- breathe
- bronzing
- Canada balsam
- Canterbury bell
- carry
- catamount
- cell line
- channel
- Chantilly
- cholangiography
- circulation
- coffee
- colony
- conduction
- contrast medium
- control
- cruiser
- culture
- culture medium
- culverin
- currency
- demi-sec
- diatomite
- dielectric
- diffuser
- diffusion
- double exposure
- double knitting
- dropout
- echo
- ectoplasm
- electromagnetic radiation
- E region
- ether
- eurocurrency