Question of the Month: What’s the difference between ‘medieval’ and ‘middle ages’?

Could you clarify the difference between the “medieval” and “middle ages”? Are they related or do they represent two different time periods? I am writing a paper and I am not sure what to use. I was under the impression that medieval is earlier than middle ages, the year 1000 maybe, and middle ages is closer to the Renaissance.

Thanks for the question. There is no difference in meaning or in the time period covered between the terms “medieval” or “middle ages.” Here are two definitions of the period:

From the World Book Encyclopedia, 2009 edition, vol. 13: “Middle Ages is a term that describes the period in European history from about the 400s through the 1400s. The Middle Ages are also called the medieval period from the Latin words medium(middle) and aevum (age).”

From the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th edition, 2000: “Middle Ages–The period in European History between antiquity and the Renaissance, often dated from A.D. 476 to 1453.”

The Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages, by Matthew E. Bunson uses the two terms interchangably in the introduction. The book also contains a Chronology of Medieval History, covering the years 410 A.D. to 1492 A.D., dates similar to those cited in the World Book Encyclopedia and the American Heritage Dictionary, above.

Thank you for your response to my question. I am still a bit confused as these words come from different languages. Is there a way to trace when both were first used? Is there a book on the origins of words or something to explain why they are both used? I am guessing, because it is Latin, medieval is an older word. How can I verify this?

Your question goes to the evolution of the term. We used the Oxford English Dictionary to look at the history of the use of the word. I’ll paste in below a bit from the dictionary, but please feel encouraged to take a look at it on your own.

Here is the entry for Medieval:

medieval, adj. and n.

< post-classical Latin medium aevum the Middle Ages (1604; < classical Latin medium, neuter of medius middle (see medium n. and adj.) + aevum aevum n.) + -al suffix1, perhaps after primeval adj.or eval adj.
Compare French médiéval (1874), Italian medievale(1868).
Of or relating to a period of time intervening between (periods designated as) ancient and modern; spec. of, relating to, or characteristic of the Middle Ages. Also, of art, religion, etc.: resembling or imitative of that of the Middle Ages.
Below is the first entry in the Etymology, or history of the use of the word:
1821 Gentleman’s Mag. Nov. Now the temporary Roman munitions consisted of mere earth-work or wood-work, but the question here is, was there such a thing as a work resembling a mediæval castle?

Now here is the entry for Middle Ages:

the Middle Ages n.

The period in European history between ancient and modern times, now usually taken as extending from the fall of the Roman Empire in the West (c500) to the fall of Constantinople (1453) or the beginning of the Renaissance (14th cent.); the medieval period; esp. the later part of this period, after 1000.

Below is the first entry in the Etymology, or history of the use of the word:
1570 J. Foxe Actes & Monumentes (rev. ed.) I. iii. 204/1 The primitiue tyme of the church,‥the middle age, and‥these our latter dayes of the church.

To see the full entries, please go our Dictionaries, Encyclopedias & Quotations page, then choose Oxford English Dictionary from the links. The first word to try is medieval. Note that there is a link to middle ages in the definition. You will be able to see an extensive history of both at the dictionary site.

It is not clear which term is older. The concept of the middle ages was certainly expressed in Latin by scholars since Latin was the language of scholars throughout Europe, as indicated by mention of French and Italian versions above. By date of the examples, the OED places Middle Ages quite early, in 1570, as opposed to the first noted use of Medieval in 1821. Again, this might be an issue of Latin being used by academics, outside of the usage of the word in English. Both terms are used now but I have not found a source that indicates a preference for a given situation, for example in academic papers versus common usage. Perhaps it is still evolving?

Good luck on your paper, and I hope you find this information useful.

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