middelharde

Middelharde is a Dutch adjectival term that designates a medium level of hardness. It is used as a qualitative descriptor across various domains to indicate that something is harder than soft materials but not as hard as hard materials. The precise meaning of middelharde depends on context and the hardness scale referenced.

In geology or mineralogy, middelharde might refer to minerals with moderate hardness on the Mohs scale. In materials science or engineering, it can describe plastics, metals, or composites whose hardness lies between soft and hard categories according to the test standard employed (such as Shore, Rockwell, or Brinell values). In the food industry, middelharde describes textures that are firm, dense, and not crumbly, as in some cheeses described as middelharde or semi-hard. The term is therefore relative rather than a fixed measurement.

Etymology: middelharde is formed from middel (middle) and harde (hard). In Dutch, it functions as an attributive adjective and can take forms such as een middelharde stof, middelharde kaas, or middelharde materialen, depending on the noun it modifies.

Usage notes: Because middelharde is qualitative, practitioners typically supplement it with numerical specifications when available. It is more common in consumer descriptions and informal contexts than in formal standards.

See also: hardness, texture, cheese categories.