mittemellan

Swedish

Alternative forms

• mitt emellan

Etymology

Compound of mitt (“middle”) +‎ emellan (“between”). Inherited from Old Swedish mit i mällan. According to SO attested since 1420.

Adverb

mittemellan (not comparable)

1. midway (in) between, in the middle, right in between (concretely or abstractly)
2. (games) a (hidden) object placed neither high nor low

   Coordinate terms: fisk, fågel

   – Det börjar brännas.
   – Fågel, fisk eller mittemellan?

   – It's getting hot.
   –High, low or in-between?

   (literally, “Bird, fish or in-between?”)

Preposition

mittemellan

1. midway (in) between, in the middle between, right in between (concretely or abstractly)

Usage notes

Sometimes used more to add emphasis, like "right in between" as opposed to "between" in English, when the location or the like would be clear regardless.

References

• mittemellan in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• mittemellan in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)