Middling

Adjective

Definition: Of medium quality or ability; moderate; average.

Definition: Ordinary; unexceptional.

Synonyms: Average, Mediocre, Ordinary

Antonyms: Excellent, Outstanding, Remarkable

Examples:

The food at the restaurant was middling, neither great nor terrible.
He had a middling performance in the competition, not standing out but not failing either.

Mnemonics:

Imagine a scale where excellent is at one end, terrible is at the other, and middling is right in the middle.
Think of "middle-ing," implying something that falls in the middle range.

Origin:

Middle English word "midding," derived from Middle Dutch "middelinc" meaning middle

Historical Usage:

The word has been used since the 16th century with similar meanings of being average or moderate.

Idiom:

"In the middle of the road"

Explanation:

Refers to being moderate or undecided, not leaning towards one extreme or another.

Misconception:

Confusing "middling" with "mediocre" as solely negative.

Explanation:

While "middling" can imply mediocrity, it can also indicate being average or moderate, which may not necessarily be negative in certain contexts.