meio

Meio is a term in Portuguese with several related meanings that vary by context. As a masculine noun, meio commonly denotes the middle or the half of something; it can refer to a position at the center of a sequence or to half of a quantity, as in meio-dia (noon) or meio copo (half a glass). It also appears in compounds referring to intermediary status, such as meio-irmão (half-brother), though many uses are formed as separate words in phrases like meio ambiente (environment).

As an adverb, meio is used colloquially to mean somewhat, to a limited extent, or partially. It often precedes adjectives or verbs: "Ele está meio cansado" means "He is somewhat tired." This usage conveys an approximate degree rather than an exact quantity and varies in formality across dialects.

Common expressions include meio ambiente (environment), meios de transporte (means of transport), and meios de comunicação (means of communication). For fractions or temporal notions, meio is used to indicate half or halfway in phrases such as meio-dia and, in informal speech, terms like meio kilo or meio caminho, where the word conveys a partial degree rather than a precise measure.

Etymology and cognates: meio derives from Latin medius, meaning middle. It has close cognates in other Romance languages, such as Spanish medio, Italian mezzo, and French moyen. In Portuguese, the word functions flexibly as a noun, adjective, pronoun-like element in compounds, and an adverbial modifier, making it a versatile part of everyday speech.