Middle-earth

Alternative forms

• middle earth
• Middle Earth

Etymology

From Middle English myddyl erthe, alteration (as if middel ("middle") + erthe ("earth")) of earlier middelerd, middenerd ("middle-earth"), from Old English middanġeard ("the globe, world, earth, mankind", literally middle yard, middle inclosure, middle region) (compare mid, yard), though often interpreted since Old English times as “middle + earth”. Cognate with Icelandic miðgarðr ("Midgard"), Gothic 𐌼𐌹𐌳𐌾𐌿𐌽𐌲𐌰𐍂𐌳𐍃 (midjungards, "mid-yard, middle abode"). See Midgard.

Full definition of middle-earth

Noun

1. (archaic) The physical world, as imagined between heaven and hell, or pre-Christian equivalents.

Related terms

• middelerd
• middenerd