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The Collaborative International Dictionary
news medium

Medium \Me"di*um\, n.; pl. L. Media, E. Mediums. [L. medium the middle, fr. medius middle. See Mid, and cf. Medius.]

  1. That which lies in the middle, or between other things; intervening body or quantity. Hence, specifically:

    1. Middle place or degree; mean.

      The just medium . . . lies between pride and abjection.
      --L'Estrange.

    2. (Math.) See Mean.

    3. (Logic) The mean or middle term of a syllogism; that by which the extremes are brought into connection.

  2. A substance through which an effect is transmitted from one thing to another; as, air is the common medium of sound. Hence: The condition upon which any event or action occurs; necessary means of motion or action; that through or by which anything is accomplished, conveyed, or carried on; specifically, in animal magnetism, spiritualism, etc., a person through whom the action of another being is said to be manifested and transmitted.

    Whether any other liquors, being made mediums, cause a diversity of sound from water, it may be tried.
    --Bacon.

    I must bring together All these extremes; and must remove all mediums.
    --Denham.

  3. An average. [R.]

    A medium of six years of war, and six years of peace.
    --Burke.

  4. A trade name for printing and writing paper of certain sizes. See Paper.

  5. (Paint.) The liquid vehicle with which dry colors are ground and prepared for application.

  6. (Microbiology) A source of nutrients in which a microorganism is placed to permit its growth, cause it to produce substances, or observe its activity under defined conditions; also called culture medium or growth medium. The medium is usually a solution of nutrients in water, or a similar solution solidified with gelatin or agar.

  7. A means of transmission of news, advertising, or other messages from an information source to the public, also called a news medium, such as a newspaper or radio; used mostly in the plural form, i. e. news media or media. See 1st media[2].

    Circulating medium, a current medium of exchange, whether coin, bank notes, or government notes.

    Ethereal medium (Physics), the ether.

    Medium of exchange, that which is used for effecting an exchange of commodities -- money or current representatives of money.