Medium

[mee-dee-uh m] /ˈmi di əm/

noun, plural media
[mee-dee-uh] /ˈmi di ə/ (Show IPA), for 1–9, 11, mediums for 1–11, 14.
1.
a middle state or condition; mean.
2.
something intermediate in nature or degree.
3.
an intervening substance, as air, through which a force acts or an effect is produced.
4.
the element that is the natural habitat of an organism.
5.
surrounding objects, conditions, or influences; environment.
6.
an intervening agency, means, or instrument by which something is conveyed or accomplished:
Words are a medium of expression.
7.
one of the means or channels of general communication, information, or entertainment in society, as newspapers, radio, or television.
8.
Biology. the substance in which specimens are displayed or preserved.
9.
Also called culture medium. Bacteriology. a liquid or solidified nutrient material suitable for the cultivation of microorganisms.
10.
a person through whom the spirits of the dead are alleged to be able to contact the living.
11.
Fine Arts.

12.
a size of printing paper, 18½ × 23½ inches (47 × 60 cm) in England, 18 × 23 to 19 × 25 inches (46 × 58 to 48 × 64 cm) in America.
13.
Chiefly British. a size of drawing or writing paper, 17½ × 22 inches (44 × 56 cm).
14.
Also called medium strip. Midland U.S. .
15.
in medium, Movies, Television. with the principal actors in the middle distance:
The scene was shot in medium.
adjective
16.
about halfway between extremes, as of degree, amount, quality, position, or size:
Cook over medium heat. He is of medium height.
/ˈmiːdɪəm/
adjective
1.
midway between extremes; average: a medium size
2.
(of a colour) reflecting or transmitting a moderate amount of light: a medium red Compare light1 (sense 29), dark (sense 2)
noun (pl) -dia (-dɪə), -diums
3.
an intermediate or middle state, degree, or condition; mean: the happy medium
4.
an intervening substance or agency for transmitting or producing an effect; vehicle: air is a medium for sound
5.
a means or agency for communicating or diffusing information, news, etc, to the public: television is a powerful medium
6.
a person supposedly used as a spiritual intermediary between the dead and the living
7.
the substance in which specimens of animals and plants are preserved or displayed
8.
(biology) short for culture medium
9.
the substance or surroundings in which an organism naturally lives or grows
10.
(art)

11.
any solvent in which pigments are mixed and thinned
12.
any one of various sizes of writing or printing paper, esp 181/2 by 231/2 inches or 171/2 by 22 inches (small medium)
n.

1580s, “a middle ground, quality, or degree,” from Latin medium “the middle, midst, center; interval,” noun use of neuter of adjective medius (see medial (adj.)). Meaning “intermediate agency, channel of communication” is from c.1600. That of “person who conveys spiritual messages” first recorded 1853, from notion of “substance through which something is conveyed.” Artistic sense (oil, watercolors, etc.) is from 1854. Happy medium is the “golden mean,” Horace’s aurea mediocritas.
adj.

1660s, “average,” from medium (n.). The Latin adjective was medius. Meaning “intermediate” is from 1796. As a size designation from 1711. as a designation of cooked meat, it is attested from 1931, short for medium-rare (1881).

medium me·di·um (mē’dē-əm)
n. pl. me·di·ums or me·di·a (-dē-ə)

adj.
Occurring or being between two degrees, amounts, or quantities; intermediate.
medium
(mē’dē-əm)
Plural media

see: happy medium