medium
MEE-dee-uhm
/ˈmiːdiəm/
The material or means used by an artist to create a work (e.g., oil paint, marble, digital software); an agency or means of doing something.
Plural is 'media' when referring to multiple artistic materials or communications channels, but 'mediums' when referring to spiritualists.
The story behind the word. Derived from Latin 'medius', meaning 'middle' or 'in-between'. A medium is literally an intermediary—the middle substance through which an artist's inner thought is converted into physical, external reality that an audience can perceive.
Word relationships
- material: 'Material' refers purely to physical substance, whereas 'medium' includes both the substance and the technique of communication.
- vehicle: 'Vehicle' emphasizes the carrier of an idea, whereas 'medium' is standard for artistic substance.
Commonly confused with
- media: 'Media' is plural for multiple artistic channels or news outlets; 'medium' is singular.
Word family
- media (noun): plural of medium; mass communications
Collocations
- artistic medium
- mixed medium
- preferred medium
- choice of medium
- expressive medium
Idioms & expressions
- happy medium
Example sentences
- "Watercolor is a notoriously unforgiving medium because mistakes cannot be easily painted over." Art Materials
- "The modern installation combined sculpture, audio recordings, and digital projections into a single mixed medium." Mixed Media
Memory hook
The MEDIUM stands IN THE MIDDLE between the artist's brain and the viewer's eye. The bridge in the middle that transmits thought to physical form.
When not to use
Do not write 'a media' when referring to a single material; use 'a medium'.
Fun facts
- In oil painting, linseed oil is called the 'painting medium' because it carries pigment particles.
- The shift from tempera (egg-based) to oil in the 15th century revolutionized European art by allowing blending.
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