sema

¹ American  

[se-mah, say-mah] / sɛˈmɑ, ˈseɪ mɑ /

noun

1. Islam. a ritual in the Sufi tradition, combining the recitation of poetry, chanting of passages from the Quran, music, vocal and instrumental music, and dancing by whirling dervishes.

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sema ² American  

[say-mah] / ˈseɪ mɑ /

noun

1. in Anishinaabe culture, tobacco, viewed as a sacred plant and used in prayer and offerings to the Creator.

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sema ³ American  

[see-muh] / ˈsi mə /

noun

plural

semas

1. Linguistics. (in semiotics) a unit of meaning; sememe.

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Example Sentences

I spent a week in the city while attending SEMA, the massive automotive trade show that takes over the Strip each year.

From Salon

Rivas noted, however, that at SEMA, 80% of people who walked up to their booth couldn’t believe it was Vera’s car.

From Los Angeles Times

Ken Sema added a third, while Isak powered home a superb fourth and Nottingham Forest's Anthony Elanga added a fifth.

From BBC

Afad has been using several techniques to search for the missing, says Sema Gulec, whose 24-year-old son is among the disappeared.

From BBC

Sema Gulec, spokesperson of a foundation to locate the missing, believes the discrepancy may be because the interior ministry has not counted those whose families have officially accepted them as deceased.

From BBC