What does "medium" mean?
Medium: A substance through which an effect is transmitted from one thing to another; as, air is the common medium of sound. Hence: The condition upon which any event or action occurs; necessary means of motion or action; that through or by which anything is accomplished, conveyed, or carried on; specifically, in animal magnetism, spiritualism, etc., a person through whom the action of another being is said to be manifested and transmitted. Whether any other liquors, being made mediums, cause a diversity of sound from water, it may be tried. Bacon. I must bring together All these extremes; and must remove all mediums. Denham.
Additional senses
- 2.An average. [R.] A medium of six years of war, and six years of peace. Burke.
- 3.A trade name for printing and writing paper of certain sizes. See Paper.
- 4.(Paint.) The liquid vehicle with which dry colors are ground and prepared for application. Circulating medium, a current medium of exchange, whether coin, bank notes, or government notes. -- Ethereal medium (Physics), the ether. -- Medium of exchange, that which is used for effecting an exchange of commodities -- money or current representatives of money.
- 5.Having a middle position or degree; mean; intermediate; medial; as, a horse of medium size; a decoction of medium strength.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00