Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word
in medias res. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
in medias res, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
in medias res in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
in medias res you have here. The definition of the word
in medias res will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
in medias res, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin in mediās rēs (literally “into the middle of things”).
Pronunciation
Adverb
in medias res (not comparable)
- In the middle of a storyline.
- Synonym: in-between
- Coordinate term: ab ovo
This novel begins in medias res.
2008, Don Gifford, Robert J. Seidman, Ulysses Annotated: Notes for James Joyce's Ulysses, University of California Press, →ISBN, page 2:As in a good epic, Ulysses begins in medias res and fills us in on Stephen's life since the end of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by flashback; and by the flashback of memory we are given the story of Molly's and Bloom's lives.
2012, H. David Brumble, Classical Myths and Legends in the Middle Ages and Renaissance , Routledge, →ISBN:Homer begins in medias res. Then, well into the poem, he takes us back to tell us about the events that make up the beginning of the story. The Odyssey, for example, begins in the tenth year of Odysseus's wanderings; […]
Adjective
in medias res (not comparable)
- Beginning in the middle of its storyline: said of a work of literature or a film.
Although not strictly in medias res, the film uses flashbacks extensively.
Noun
in medias res (uncountable)
- Narrative presented in medias res.
- 2010 (March 31st, 5:00pm): Ben “Yahtzee” Croshaw, “Final Fantasy XIII” reviewed by Zero Punctuation, 2:03–2:16
- Anyway, the characters have been introduced but by no means established. I know Final Fantasy’s always been big on in medias res, but even the most basic questions about the plot remain unanswered. Who the fuck are these people? What is going on? Why should I care? Can I stop playing now? Please?
Usage notes
Often incorrectly rendered as "in media res".
Further reading
Anagrams
Spanish
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin in mediās rēs (literally “into the middle of things”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˌim ˌmedjas ˈres/
- Syllabification: in me‧dias res
Adverb
in medias res
- in medias res
Adjective
in medias res (invariable)
- in medias res
Further reading