anti-medieval
|an-ti-me-di-e-val|
/ˌæn.ti.mɪˈdiː.vəl/
against the Middle Ages / opposed to medieval ideas or revival
Etymology
'anti-medieval' is formed from the prefix 'anti-' and the adjective 'medieval'. 'Anti-' originates from Greek 'ἀντί' (anti-) meaning 'against'. 'Medieval' comes from Medieval Latin 'medievalis' (from Latin 'medium aevum') meaning 'middle age'.
'Anti-' entered English via Latin and French as a productive prefix meaning 'against'. 'Medieval' was formed in modern scholarly English (via French médiéval and Medieval Latin) to mean 'relating to the Middle Ages'. The compound 'anti-medieval' is a modern English formation created by prefixing 'anti-' to 'medieval' to express opposition.
Individually, 'anti-' meant 'against' and 'medieval' designated the 'Middle Ages' or things relating to that period; combined as 'anti-medieval' the meaning has stayed consistent: 'opposed to medieval people/ideas/styles or their revival.'
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
opposed to the Middle Ages, to medieval institutions or practices, or to ideas associated with the medieval period.
The critics were explicitly anti-medieval, rejecting feudal hierarchies as outdated.
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Adjective 2
opposed to medievalism or the romantic revival/appreciation of medieval styles and ideals (i.e., against the revival movement or nostalgia for the Middle Ages).
Her writings were anti-medieval in tone, criticizing the Gothic revival's sentimental view of the past.
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Last updated: 2025/11/04 16:31