semi

¹

[ sem-ee, sem-ahy ]

noun

, Informal.

1. semitrailer ( def 1 ).
2. Often semifinal ( def 3 ).

semi-

²

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.

semi-

¹

prefix

1. See demi-, hemi-
   half Compare demi- hemi-

   semicircle

2. partially, partly, not completely, or almost

   semifinal

   semiprofessional

3. occurring twice in a specified period of time

   semiweekly

   semiannual

semi

²

/ ˈsɛmɪ /

noun

1. a semidetached house
2. See semifinal
   short for semifinal
3. See semitrailer
   short for semitrailer

semi–

1. A prefix that means “half,” (as in semicircle, half a circle) or “partly, somewhat, less than fully,” (as in semiconscious, partly conscious).

Confusables Note

See bi- ¹.

Word History and Origins

Origin of semi¹

By shortening

Origin of semi²

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of semi¹

from Latin; compare Old English sōm-, sām- half, Greek hēmi-

Example Sentences

The best-case scenario would be that the Taliban form a semi technocratic government or agreed to a transitional government for a year to allow everything to fall in place.

From Time

Though it was a hefty rig, I suspect the ride is something I would get used to if I owned the trailer, as I watched equally wide semis pass me without hesitation.

From Outside Online

Going into the semis, FiveThirtyEight’s Elo-based simulations give them a 62 percent chance of advancing to the final and a 34 percent chance of winning the whole thing.

From FiveThirtyEight

Daimler Trucks partners with Waymo to build self-driving semi trucks

From TechCrunch

Nikola also is working on a battery-electric semi truck to be built next year in Ulm, Germany, in a joint venture with CNH Industrial NV’s Iveco unit.

From Fortune

Here they are semi-touching at a grocery store; she likes kombucha.

From The Daily Beast

Brinsley stepped up to the passenger side of the patrol car, raised a silver Taurus semi-automatic pistol and began firing.

From The Daily Beast

Tiger Lily and her tribe, however, were outfitted in semi-realistic outfits (read: nearly naked).

From The Daily Beast

For the next hour and half I was the willing sex slave of a semi-professional Master I had met through a friend.

From The Daily Beast

After curing the elderly of their semi-suicidal depression, winning the White House must seem like a snap.

From The Daily Beast

Our troops have done all that flesh and blood can do against semi-permanent works, and they are not able to carry them.

From Project Gutenberg

The stop-keys will be seen arranged in an inclined semi-circle overhanging and just above the keyboards.

From Project Gutenberg

There are four types: bituminous (soft), anthracite (hard), semi-bituminous and semi-anthracite.

From Project Gutenberg

There were semi-savage native chiefs, and there were others, like Aguinaldo himself, with humane instincts.

From Project Gutenberg

The brilliant light of a policeman's torch sliced through the semi-darkness and spotted him.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• car
• crate
• freighter
• jeep
• lorry
• pickup
• rig
• van
• wagon