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With its roots medi-, meaning "middle", and ev-, meaning "age", medieval literally means "of the Middle Ages". In this case, middle means "between the Roman empire and the Renaissance"—that is, after the fall of the great Roman state and before the "rebirth" of culture that we call the Renaissance. This same period used to be called the "Dark Ages", since it was believed that in these years civilization all but vanished. And indeed, for most Europeans in these centuries, it was a time of poverty, famine, plague, and superstition, rather than the age of magic, dazzling swordplay, towering castles, and knights in splendid armor displayed in today's graphic novels and video games.
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Examples of medieval in a Sentence
Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 7 May 2024
Two years later, fifteen items of medieval Chinese jewelry were stolen.
—Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 6 May 2024
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“Medieval.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/medieval. Accessed 10 May. 2024.
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