Middle Ages - Definitions from Dictionary.com

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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

Middle Ages

–noun

the time in European history between classical antiquity and the Italian Renaissance (from about 500 a.d. to about 1350): sometimes restricted to the later part of this period (after 1100) and sometimes extended to 1450 or 1500.

[Origin: 1715–25; pl. of Middle Age, trans. of NL Medium Aevum

]

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Middle Ages

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Middle Ages
pl.n. The period in European history between antiquity and the Renaissance, often dated from A.D. 476 to 1453.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

middle ages
noun
the period of history between classical antiquity and the Italian Renaissance

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Middle Ages — with the

the time between the end of the Roman Empire and the Renaissance

Arabic:	القُرون الوُسْطى
Chinese (Simplified):	中世纪
Chinese (Traditional):	中世紀
Czech:	středověk
Danish:	middelalder
Dutch:	middeleeuwen
Estonian:	keskaeg
Finnish:	keskiaika
French:	moyen-âge
German:	das Mittelalter
Greek:	μεσαίωνας
Hungarian:	a középkor
Icelandic:	miðaldir
Indonesian:	Zaman Pertengahan
Italian:	Medioevo, Medio Evo*

Japanese:	中世
Latvian:	viduslaiki
Lithuanian:	viduramžiai
Norwegian:	middelalderen
Polish:	średniowiecze
Portuguese (Brazil):	Idade Média
Portuguese (Portugal):	Idade Média
Romanian:	Evul Mediu
Russian:	средние века
Slovak:	stredovek
Slovenian:	srednji vek
Spanish:	Edad Media
Swedish:	medeltiden
Turkish:	Orta Çağ

American Heritage New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition - Cite This Source - Share This
Middle Ages

The period of European history between ancient and modern times. The Middle Ages began with the Fall of Rome in the fifth century and ended with the Renaissance. The Middle Ages are associated with many beliefs and practices that now seem out of date, such as chivalry, feudalism, the Inquisition, the belief that the sun revolves around the Earth, and a host of popular superstitions. The early Middle Ages are even sometimes called the Dark Ages. The Middle Ages, however, especially in later years, also saw many notable human achievements. Among these were the building of modern nations, such as England and France; increasingly sophisticated and expanded trade; a great advancement of technique in philosophy and theology; some remarkable works of literature (see The Canterbury Tales, The Divine Comedy); and the building of magnificent churches (see Chartres and Notre Dame de Paris).