Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “medieval” come from?

Medieval derives from Middle Latin mediaevalis, from Latin medius and aevum, the latter from Proto-Indo-European h₂eyu- meaning life or age.

medieval (English): Of or relating to the Middle Ages, the period...

Definitions

  1. Of or relating to the Middle Ages, the period...

Ancestry of “medieval”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchmédiévalmedieval
2Latinaevumtime as a single, unified, continuous and...
3LatinaevomArchaic form of aevum
4Old Latinaivomtime, lifetime; age
5Proto-Italicaiwomage
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eyu-vitality; eternal; vital force, life, long life,...
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ey-vital force, life, age, eternity; day, morning

Words derived from “medieval”

  • medievalism
  • medievalist
  • postmedieval
  • medievally
  • neomedieval
  • premedieval
  • pseudomedieval
  • medievalistic
  • medievalness
  • medievalesque
  • nonmedieval
  • medievalize
  • medievaldom
  • medievality
  • all roads lead to Rome
  • Hispanomedievalism
  • hispanomedievalist
  • medireview
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂ey- →