semester
Americannoun
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(in many educational institutions) a division constituting half of the regular academic year, lasting typically from 15 to 18 weeks.
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(in German universities) a session, lasting about six months and including periods of recess.
noun
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(in some universities) either of two divisions of the academic year, ranging from 15 to 18 weeks
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(in German universities) a session of six months
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
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.
Vocabulary lists containing semester
When Stars Are Scattered
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American Street
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The friends saw the opportunity just as their semester abroad in London was winding down.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026
A high schooler can enroll as early as freshman year and earn up to 11 college credits per semester.
From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026
And accounting programs are implementing further AI-driven curriculum changes for the coming fall semester in a bid to keep pace with the needs of their students’ future employers.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026
A lucky few leave the semester with job offers waiting for them after college.
From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2026
I scrolled down and found a list of classes that Professor Thomas would teach when the fall semester started in a few weeks.
From "From the Desk of Zoe Washington" by Janae Marks
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
