Etymology and periodization
The Middle Ages is one of the three major periods in the most enduring scheme for analyzing European history: classical civilization (or Antiquity), the Middle Ages, and the modern period. It is "Middle" in the sense of being between the two other periods in time, ancient times and modern times. Humanist historians argued that Renaissance scholarship restored direct links to the classical period, thus bypassing the Medieval period. The term first appears in Latin in 1469 as media tempestas (middle times). In early usage, there were many variants, including medium aevum (Middle Age), first recorded in 1604, and media scecula (Middle Ages), first recorded in 1625. English is the only major language that retains the plural form.