The word “medium” has several meanings. This is not a problem in itself, but “medium” also has two plurals: media and mediums. And the correct plural depends on the sense of “medium” you’re using.
Find out how to avoid mix ups with these terms in this post.
One sense of “medium” is “a channel of communication,” such as television, radio, or the internet. The plural of this sense of “medium” is “media”:
We gathered data from a variety of media.
However, when referring to communication channels, we also use “media” as a mass noun. This is why we say “the media” when talking about TV, radio, and news sources. The plural “media” also applies in other cases, including:
It is thus correct to use “media” as a plural in any of these situations.
A “medium” can also be someone who claims to communicate with spirits or have psychic powers. The correct plural in this case is “mediums”:
As a professional ghost hunter, I have worked with many mediums.
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This is the only sense of “medium” where “media” is not an accepted plural.
In addition, we can use “mediums” for artistic materials. In this case, “mediums” and “media” are interchangeable, so we could say either of the following:
Paint and charcoal are artistic mediums.
Paint and charcoal are artistic media.
However, you will still want to use one term consistently in each document.
The correct plural depends on the kind of “medium” you are discussing:
The key is remembering to use “mediums” when referring to psychics. In all other cases, “media” is the preferred plural. And don’t forget to have your written work proofread if you’d like more help with your word choices.
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