middling
mid·dl·ing/ˈmɪd(ə)lɪŋ/adjective, adverb, noun
middling is spelled M-I-D-D-L-I-N-G: 8 letters and 3 syllables (mid·dl·ing). It appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 36,176th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, middling means “Of intermediate or average size, position, or quality; mediocre” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in middling?
| Letters | 8: M-I-D-D-L-I-N-G |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3: mid·dl·ing |
| In writing | about once in every 2 million words; the 36,176th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is middling?
Middling appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 36,176th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce middling?
- UK /ˈmɪdlɪŋ/
- UK /ˈmɪdl̩ɪŋ/
- US /ˈmɪd(ə)lɪŋ/
Middling has 3 syllables, split mid·dl·ing in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-middling.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of middling
- more middling comparative
- most middling superlative
- middlings plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does middling mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Of intermediate or average size, position, or quality; mediocre.
The football team is never the worst or best in its league; its position is always middling.
- 2
UKcolloquialIn fairly good health.
adverb
- 1
UKcolloquialFairly, moderately, somewhat.
Iwami, otherwise Sekisju, is two days journey long, going from ſouth to north, a middling good country, producing plenty of cannib, and affording ſome ſalt.
- 2
UKcolloquialNot too badly, with modest success.
noun
- 1
Something of intermediate or average size, position, or quality.
- 2
Preceded by the: people of moderate means; members of the middle class.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Middling in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense of intermediate or average quality:
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does middling come from?
The noun is probably from middle (noun) + -ing; the adjective is most likely derived from the noun, and the adverb from the adjective.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).