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

Theoretical starting center Kristaps Porzingis is still recovering from offseason surgery after tearing his medial retinaculum in his left leg during Game 2 of the NBA Finals, an injury that will likely leave him on the shelf until at least December. —Hunter Felt, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024

Her focus is not on the representation of meaning but rather on the medial and material conditions of representation. —Moritz Scheper, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2024

The region—called the ventral medial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC)—may produce a fundamental model of oneself and place it in mental time. —Robert Martone, Scientific American, 21 Dec. 2021

The 26-year-old Californian was on the short list of athletes Djokovic called after tearing the medial meniscus in his right knee in the fourth round of the French Open. —Ava Wallace, Washington Post, 29 June 2024

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

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