medium

Everyday

1. Medium means in the middle in size, amount or level, not big and not small. tree →
2. A medium is a way of communicating or showing something, such as television, paint or the internet. tree →
3. In science, a medium is a material that something travels through, like air for sound. tree →
4. A medium is a person who claims to talk to the dead. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life, clothes, drinks and pizzas come in small, medium and large sizes; steak can be cooked "medium". In art, the medium is the material used (paint, clay, pencil). In science, sound needs a medium such as air or water to travel; it cannot travel in empty space. Phrases: "medium-sized", "medium heat", "happy medium" (a good balance), "the media" (TV, newspapers).

Examples

• I'd like a medium pizza, please. tree →
• Cook the sauce on a medium heat. tree →
• He is of medium height. tree →
• Sound travels through a medium such as air. tree →
• Her favourite art medium is watercolour. tree →
• The internet is a powerful medium. tree →
• We found a happy medium between work and play. tree →
• My T-shirt size is medium. tree →
• She is of medium height, and the form is perfect in its symmetry and faultless proportions. tree →

Note

Plural: "media" for ways of communicating (the media) and in science; "mediums" for people who claim to contact spirits. "Medium" in sizes is often written M. Mediums cannot really talk to the dead; this has never been shown by fair tests.

Meaning