semifinal

American  

[sem-ee-fahyn-l, sem-ahy-] / ˌsɛm iˈfaɪn l, ˌsɛm aɪ- /

adjective

1. of or relating to the round preceding the final one in a tournament from which losers are eliminated.

2. (in boxing) of or relating to the second most important bout on a card, usually immediately preceding the main bout.

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noun

semifinals plural

1. a semifinal contest or round.

2. (in boxing) the second most important bout on a card.

semifinal British  

/ ˌsɛmɪˈfaɪnəl /

noun

1. 1. the round before the final in a competition

   2. ( as modifier )

      the semifinal draw

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• semifinals
  plural

Etymology

Origin of semifinal

First recorded in 1880–85; semi- + final

Explanation

In sports, a semifinal is the next-to the last game (or series of games) in a big tournament. In a semifinal, four teams or players compete against each other for a spot in the final round. Professional sports like hockey, soccer, and basketball — as well as competitive activities including poker and debate — have a series of elimination rounds before a winner is declared. The very last of those playoff games is the semifinal, a word that was coined in the 1860s from the Latin semi, "half," and final, whose Latin root means "end." The round before the semifinal, in which eight teams play, is called a quarterfinal.

Example Sentences

On June 9, the day of the state semifinal game against a team from Cohasset, the punishment was handed down.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 16, 2026

The night before a brutal semifinal, Mussolini reportedly dined with the Swedish referee—who went on to officiate the final too.

From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026

A year later, when my club team Everton reached the semifinal of a major tournament, I was unable to find a single cable channel carrying the game.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026

Great Oak 4, North Torrance 3: Regan Spillers delivered a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning in a Division 3 semifinal.

From Los Angeles Times • May 24, 2026

The semifinal match did not start out well.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad