How to Pronounce Medieval

To pronounce "medieval", say med-IEV-al — 3 syllables, IPA /miˈdivəɫ/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

medieval

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Accent

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Speed

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3

Syllables

8

Letters

/miˈdivəɫ/

🇺🇸 IPA (US)

/mˈɛdɪˌiːvəl/

🇬🇧 IPA (UK)

💡 Tip for remembering “medieval”

Break "medieval" into 3 beats and lean on "IEV" — that's the stressed one. It rhymes with evil and upheaval, if that helps it stick.

What does medieval mean?

noun

  1. Someone living in the Middle Ages.
  2. A medieval example (of something aforementioned or understood from context).

    “Thank God for modern remedies: the medievals were often useless or even harmful.”

adjective

  1. Of or relating to the Middle Ages, the period from approximately 500 to 1500 AD.
  2. Having characteristics associated with the Middle Ages in popular, modern cultural perception:

Hear “medieval” in real sentences

Real example sentences from Tatoeba (CC-BY) — tap to hear each one, or see it used on YouGlish.

Words that rhyme with medieval

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

evilupheavalprimevalretrievalweevilshrievalcheval

Related words

mediaevalknightlychivalricgothicnonmodernpastdevicefeudal

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "medieval"?▾

"Medieval" has 3 syllables: med · iev · al.

What is the IPA transcription of "medieval"?▾

The IPA transcription of "medieval" is /miˈdivəɫ/.

What does "medieval" mean?▾

Medieval: Someone living in the Middle Ages.

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