German Conversation · Level 86
59 words
German word
Mittelalter
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈmɪtl̩ˌaltɐ/
Meaning
- neuter nounMiddle Ages
Example
Das Leben im Mittelalter war hart.
Life in the Middle Ages was hard.
More examples
In Museen sieht man oft Gegenstände aus dem Mittelalter.
In museums, one often sees objects from the Middle Ages.
Core concept
A long span between classical antiquity and modern history, marked by castles, village farming, feudal ties, and strong church authority.
Common phrases
im Mittelalter
in the Middle Ages
aus dem Mittelalter
from the Middle Ages
seit dem Mittelalter
since the Middle Ages
Similar words
Neuzeit: A historical era marked by the decline of feudal structures and the growth of modern industry.
Renaissance: A period when classical models inspired new achievements in art and scholarship.
Moderne: A period marked by the widespread adoption of modern social life and technology.
Definition in German
Bezeichnung für eine mehrjährige historische Periode, in der vorwiegend bäuerliche Wirtschaft, Lehen und kirchliche Autorität das Leben bestimmten (ca. 5.–15. Jahrhundert).
Word origin
Mittelalter combines Mittel, meaning "middle," with Alter, meaning "age," and thus names the age regarded as lying between antiquity and modern times.
Usage tips
- Mittelalter is neuter, so the standard phrase for "in the Middle Ages" is im Mittelalter, with im representing in dem.
Related words
- mittelalterlichmedievaladjective
- Mittelalterfilmmedieval filmnoun
- Mittelalterfestmedieval festivalnoun