semester

American  

[si-mes-ter] / sɪˈmɛs tər /

noun

1. (in many educational institutions) a division constituting half of the regular academic year, lasting typically from 15 to 18 weeks.

2. (in German universities) a session, lasting about six months and including periods of recess.

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semester British  

/ sɪˈmɛstə /

noun

1. (in some universities) either of two divisions of the academic year, ranging from 15 to 18 weeks

2. (in German universities) a session of six months

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Usage

What does semester mean? A semester is one half of an academic year. If an academic year is divided into semesters, it means it is divided into two semesters. (If the year is divided into thirds, each part is called a trimester.)Semesters are typically used in high schools and universities. In many universities, a semester lasts 15 to 18 weeks. In German universities, a semester can last up to six months. Example: I’m thinking about taking a break from school for a semester to work and save some money.

Other Word Forms

• semestral
  adjective
• semestrial
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of semester

1820–30; < German < Latin sēmē ( n ) stris of six months duration < *sex-mēnstris, equivalent to sex six + mēns ( is ) month + -tris adj. suffix (perhaps representing an earlier *mens ( i ) -teros )

Explanation

A semester is half of a school year. In September of your first year of high school, you could describe yourself as "a first-semester freshman." The noun semester comes up often when you're in high school and college. It's an easy way to divide the school year, into two equal halves, or semesters. Sometimes a class lasts for the whole year, and sometimes for just one semester. Occasionally schools split the year into three trimesters just to make things interesting. Originally, semester meant "six months," from the Latin root of the same meaning, semestris.

Example Sentences

In 1970, during her last semester of undergrad, Leath married Ed Dossett, whom she met at East Tennessee State before he moved on to law school.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

They gave daddy $855.53 per semester for four or five years.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026

My dad said, `No, Mr. Wahl, I’ve got to pay $855.53 for that boy’s semester.’

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026

Last semester, the college suspended its campus newspaper, the Defender, which published for 80 years, in part because not enough students had taken the course required to work on the paper.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

“I minored in Spanish in college, sweetheart. I did a semester here. It’s where I met your dad...You know this!”

From "Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish" by Pablo Cartaya