MEDIA Definition & Meaning

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media

[ mee-dee-uh ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a plural of medium none.
(usually used with a plural verb) the means of communication, as radio and television, newspapers, magazines, and the internet, that reach or influence people widely:
The media are covering the speech tonight.

adjective

pertaining to or concerned with such means:
a job in media research.

media

[ mee-dee-uh ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

plural mediae

Greek Grammar. a voiced plosive, as β, δ, γ.
Anatomy. the middle layer of an artery or lymphatic vessel.
Entomology. a longitudinal vein in the middle portion of the wing of an insect.

Media

[ mee-dee-uh ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

an ancient country in W Asia, S of the Caspian Sea, corresponding generally to NW Iran. : Ecbatana.

Media

/ ˈ��ː��ɪə /

noun

an ancient country of SW Asia, south of the Caspian Sea: inhabited by the Medes; overthrew the Assyrian Empire in 612 bc in alliance with Babylonia; conquered by Cyrus the Great in 550 bc ; corresponds to present-day NW Iran

media

/ ˈ��ː��ɪə /

noun

a plural of medium
the means of communication that reach large numbers of people, such as television, newspapers, and radio

adjective

of or relating to the mass media
media hype

media

/ ˈ��ɛ��ɪə /

noun

the middle layer of the wall of a blood or lymph vessel
one of the main veins in the wing of an insect
phonetics
1. a consonant whose articulation lies midway between that of a voiced and breathed speech sound
2. a consonant pronounced with weak voice, as c in French second

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Usage Note

Media, like data, is the plural form of a word borrowed directly from Latin. The singular, medium, early developed the meaning “an intervening agency, means, or instrument” and was first applied to newspapers two centuries ago. In the 1920s media began to appear as a singular collective noun, sometimes with the plural medias. This singular use is now common in the fields of mass communication and advertising, but it is not frequently found outside them: The media is (or are ) not antibusiness.

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Usage

When media refers to the mass media, it is sometimes treated as a singular form, as in: the media has shown great interest in these events. Many people think this use is incorrect and that media should always be treated as a plural form: the media have shown great interest in these events

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of media¹

First recorded in 1920–25

Origin of media²

First recorded in 1835–45; from Late Latin (grammar sense only), noun use of feminine singular of Latin medius “m��”; mid ¹( def )

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of media¹

C19: from Latin medius middle

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

He told reporters he wasn’t talking after the game but would “double up” on his media obligations Saturday night.

From

"We are aware of misinformation circulating on social media, specifically X, regarding the circumstances of the incident and the ethnicities of those involved," a spokesperson said.

From

Altman shared his anime cricketer avatar on X on Thursday, sending Indian social media users into a tizzy.

From

These narratives have found resonance in an online audience that harbours a general distrust of mainstream media and worries about South Korea's neighbours.

From

Meta and other social media companies face multiple lawsuits in the US from families who claim their children were harmed by social media.

From

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What Is The Plural Of Media?

Plural word for media

Media is the plural form of the singular noun medium. The plurals of several other singular words that end in -um are also formed in this way, including memorandum/memoranda, datum/data, and bacterium/bacteria.��

The media derives directly from its original pluralization in Latin.��

While less common, the standard English plural form mediums is also valid for some definitions of this term, such as in the sense of “a person through whom the spirits of the dead are alleged to be able to contact the living.”

Like data, media can be treated as either a singular or a plural noun, depending on context and meaning. For instance, when describing mass media (“a collection of different media that a general population can access, like newspapers and radio programs”), media can be treated as a singular collective noun.

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