medial

adjective

me·​di·​al ˈmē-dē-əl 

1

: mean, average

2

a

: being or occurring in the middle

b

: extending toward the middle

especially : lying or extending toward the median axis of the body

3

: situated between the extremes of initial and final in a word or morpheme

medial noun

medially

ˈmē-dē-ə-lē 

adverb

Synonyms

• central
• halfway
• intermediary
• intermediate
• median
• mediate
• medium
• mid
• middle
• midmost

Examples of medial in a Sentence

four is the medial number between one and seven

Recent Examples on the Web

That 2005-06 season saw Linfield complete a clean sweep of all four domestic trophies, but a recurring medial knee injury limited Mulgrew’s game time. —Colin Millar, The Athletic, 23 Mar. 2025

Langer considers this wide platform more important than the denser medial post, which long defined the stability category. —Jonathan Beverly, Outside Online, 12 Mar. 2025

The plate also has hexagonal cutouts that reduce its rigidity on the lateral side but is solid on the medial side. —Jonathan Beverly, Outside Online, 12 Mar. 2025

The Hawks were missing Kobe Bufkin (right shoulder surgery), Jalen Johnson (left shoulder surgery), Vit Krejci (lumbar fracture), Larry Nance Jr. (right medial femoral condyle fracture) and Daeqwon Plowden (G League) against the Heat. —Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin medialis, from Latin medius

First Known Use

1570, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing medial

• medial collateral ligament

Rhymes for medial

• dorsomedial
• ventromedial
• postmedial
• remedial

Kids Definition

medial

adjective

me·​di·​al ˈmēd-ē-əl 

1

: median entry 2 sense 1

2

: ordinary entry 2 sense 2, average

medially

-ə-lē 

adverb

Medical Definition

medial

adjective

me·​di·​al ˈmēd-ē-əl 

1

: lying or extending in the middle

especially, of a body part : lying or extending toward the median axis of the body

the medial surface of the tibia

2

: of or relating to the media of a blood vessel

necrosis and lipid deposition with medial involvement

medially

-ə-lē 

adverb