Word
middle
Phoneticsmid·dle, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈmɪdəɫ/
UK/mˈɪdəl/
Definitions
01central point
A2 · Elementary Countable noun
n. the point or position that is at an equal distance from the sides or edges.
n. the central point or part of a physical object or area.
“There is a large wooden table in the middle of the room.”
“The fountain was positioned exactly in the middle of the courtyard to create a sense of perfect symmetry.”
02between start and end
A2 · Elementary Countable noun
n. the part of an event or period of time between the beginning and the end.
n. the intermediate part of a temporal sequence or narrative.
“I woke up in the middle of the night because of a loud noise.”
“The plot becomes increasingly complex in the middle of the novel, introducing several new characters who challenge the protagonist.”
03waist
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. the central part of a person's body, around the waist.
n. the central section of the human torso; the waist area.
Español:cintura
“He has put on a bit of weight around his middle lately.”
“The athlete wore a supportive belt around her middle to protect her lower back during the heavy lifting session.”
Synonyms
04political center
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Politics
n. the group of people whose political views are not extreme.
n. the moderate portion of the political spectrum, avoiding both left-wing and right-wing extremes.
“The candidate is trying to win votes from the political middle.”
“To secure a majority, the party must appeal to the middle rather than focusing solely on its traditional base.”
05located in the center
A2 · Elementary
adj. describing something that is in the center or between two other things.
adj. positioned at an equal distance from the limits or edges; central.
Español:central
“She is the middle child in a family of three sisters.”
“The middle drawer of the desk is where we keep the spare stationery and stamps.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “middle” in context.
Real-World Examples
“According to this worldview, the middle of life, far from a time to reset yourself, is the crux of human existence.” “The only thing anyone can reliably tell you about middle age is that it’s in the middle of life.” “From taking the middle ground to the mid-life crisis, Middle England to middle managers, to being a middle child - is occupying a position in the middle out of fashion?” Etymology
From Middle English middel, itself from Old English middel ("middle, centre, waist"), from Proto-Germanic midlą, midilą, medalą — a diminutive formation built on midjō ("middle, midst"), with cognate adjective midjaz ("mid, middle"), all descending from Proto-Indo-European médʰyos ("between, in the middle, middle").
The word's Germanic siblings include Saterland Frisian Middel, West Frisian mul, Dutch middel (which has shifted to mean "means; medicine, cure"), German mittel and Mittel (adjective and noun respectively, the latter also "medicament, remedy"), Luxembourgish Mëttel ("means, method; medicament"), Vilamovian mytuł, Yiddish מיטל (mitl), Danish, Norwegian middel ("means"), Icelandic meðal ("average; means, medicine"), and Swedish medel ("average, mean, middle"). The semantic drift toward remedy and method in several daughter languages is worth noting; English kept the spatial sense primary.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- A2 · ElementaryOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/middle
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0