plural mediums or media
ˈmē-dē-ə
1
a
: something in a middle position
These shirts are all mediums.
b
: a middle condition or degree : mean
Look for a happy medium.
2
: a means of effecting or conveying something: such as
a
plural usually media
(1)
: a channel or system of communication, information, or entertainment
an effective advertising medium = an effective medium for advertising
compare mass medium
(2)
: a publication or broadcast that carries advertising
(3)
: a mode of artistic expression or communication
As his literary medium he has chosen a biographical form …—Ernest Newman
(4)
: something (such as a magnetic disk) on which information may be stored
b
media plural
: digital audio or video files available for playback or streaming
… the features modern media consumers have come to expect from their TVs, tablets, and pocketable media players …—Lynn Claudy
Apple's current keyboards can use the function keys … for alternate functions such as controlling volume, screen brightness, media playback …—Dan Frakes
c
: material or technical means of artistic expression (such as paint and canvas, sculptural stone, or literary or musical form)
Her preferred medium is sculpture/poetry.
artists who work in multiple media/mediums
d
plural mediums
: an individual held to be a channel of communication between the earthly world and a world of spirits
e(1)
: a substance regarded as the means of transmission (see transmission sense 1) of a force or effect
Air is the medium that conveys sound.
(2)
: a surrounding or enveloping substance
(3)
: the tenuous material (such as gas and dust) in space that exists outside large agglomerations (see agglomeration sense 2) of matter (such as stars)
interstellar medium
f
: go-between, intermediary
The medium of introduction was no doubt … the publisher …—Richard Garnett
3
a
: a condition or environment in which something may function or flourish
Ocean fish live in a medium of salt water.
b
plural media
(1)
: a nutrient system for the artificial cultivation of cells or organisms and especially bacteria
(2)
: a fluid or solid in which organic (see organic entry 1 sense 1) structures are placed (as for preservation or mounting)
c
: a liquid with which pigment is mixed by a painter
Is media singular or plural?: Usage Guide
The singular media and its plural medias seem to have originated in the field of advertising, where they are still used without stigma. In most other contexts media is used as the plural of medium. However, the popularity of the word in references to the agencies of mass communication has lead to the formation of a mass noun, construed as a singular.
… there's no basis for it. You know, the news media gets on to something …
—Edwin Meese 3d
… the media is less interested in the party's policies …
—James Lewis, Guardian Weekly
Although it is increasingly common, this use may incur criticism especially in formal writing.
: intermediate in quantity, quality, position, size, or degree
Cite this Entry
“Medium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/medium. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.
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