Why C is called middle level language?

What Does "Middle Level Language" Mean?

C is often described as a middle-level language because it combines features of both low-level (machine-oriented) and high-level (human-oriented) languages.

Low-Level Features in C

• Direct access to memory using pointers.
• Bitwise operators for manipulating individual bits.
• Ability to write hardware-level code such as device drivers and operating system components.

High-Level Features in C

• Readable, English-like syntax for control structures (if, for, while).
• Support for functions, structures, and modular programming.
• Portability across different machine architectures.

Conclusion

Because C lets programmers work close to the hardware while still writing structured, readable code, it sits comfortably between assembly language and languages like Python or Java — hence the term "middle-level language."