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definitions

semi-

See more synonyms for semi- on Thesaurus.com
  1. a combining form borrowed from Latin, meaning “half,” freely prefixed to English words of any origin, now sometimes with the senses “partially,” “incompletely,” “somewhat”: semiautomatic; semidetached; semimonthly; semisophisticated.

Origin of semi-

Middle English < Latin sēmi-; cognate with Old English sōm-, sām- half (modern dial. sam-), Old High German sāmi-, Sanskrit sāmi-, Greek hēmi-; cf. sesqui-

Usage note

See bi-1.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for semi-

apparent, apparently, fake, mock, near, nominal, partly, pretended, seeming, sham, so-called, supposedly, synthetic, virtual, would-be, seemingly, pseudo-, semi-
British Dictionary definitions for semi-

semi-

prefix
  1. halfsemicircle Compare demi- (def. 1), hemi-
  2. partially, partly, not completely, or almostsemiprofessional; semifinal
  3. occurring twice in a specified period of timesemiannual; semiweekly

Word Origin for semi-

from Latin; compare Old English sōm-, sām- half, Greek hēmi-
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for semi-

before vowels sem-, word-forming element meaning "half, part, partly; partial, imperfect; twice," from Latin semi- "half," from PIE *semi- "half" (cf. Sanskrit sami "half," Greek hemi- "half," Old English sam-, Gothic sami- "half").

Old English cognate sam- was used in such compounds as samhal "poor health," literally "half-whole;" samsoden "half-cooked," figuratively "stupid" (cf. half-baked); samcucu "half-dead," literally "half-alive;" and the last survivor of the group, sandblind "dim-sighted" (q.v.). Common in Latin (e.g. semi-gravis "half-drunk," semi-hora "half hour," semi-mortuus "half-dead," semi-nudus "half-naked," semi-vir "half-man, hermaphrodite"). The Latin-derived form in English has been active in forming native words since 15c.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
semi- in Medicine

semi-

pref.
  1. Half:semicanal.
  2. Partial; partially:semiconscious.
  3. Resembling or having some of the characteristics of:semilunar.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
semi- in Science

semi-

  1. A prefix that means “half,” (as in semicircle, half a circle) or “partly, somewhat, less than fully,” (as in semiconscious, partly conscious).
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.