seminar

American  

[sem-uh-nahr] / ˈsɛm əˌnɑr /

noun

• seminars
  plural

1. a small group of students, as in a university, engaged in advanced study and original research under a member of the faculty and meeting regularly to exchange information and hold discussions.

2. the gathering place of such a group.

3. a meeting of such a group.

4. a course or subject of study for advanced graduate students.

5. any meeting for exchanging information and holding discussions.

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seminar British  

/ ˈsɛmɪˌnɑː /

noun

1. a small group of students meeting regularly under the guidance of a tutor, professor, etc, to exchange information, discuss theories, etc

2. one such meeting or the place in which it is held

3. a higher course for postgraduates

4. any group or meeting for holding discussions or exchanging information

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• seminars
  plural

Etymology

Origin of seminar

1885–90, < German < Latin sēminārium seminary

Explanation

A seminar means a class or meeting, but it carries with it extra weight. An educational seminar indicates a small, advanced study, while a meeting labeled as such means an intense exchange of ideas. The Latin seminarium originally referred to a plant nursery, a place of great growth. From this came the German seminar, referring to a formal educational group led by a professor. While university seminars are most frequently small-group studies of a particular issue, the word is also applied to large lectures and commercial pitches. Like the seminar you attended on how to get rich by selling carrot peelers to your neighbors.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

seminar seminars

Nora explains to the counselor running a workplace mental health seminar that the Greeks viewed anger as a kind of insanity, but with different diagnostic profiles.

From Salon ● Sep. 3, 2026

A senior judge of China’s Supreme People’s Court participated in an March 2023 online seminar sponsored by a U.S. environmental-law group and used the platform to talk up Xi Jinping’s climate-change policies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026

I designed the seminar partly around theater offerings in Los Angeles to connect students to recent developments in the field and to consolidate awareness that something special is happening in the American theater.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026

You could hire a financial adviser to give all of you a seminar about managing money, or you could pay for counseling for your brother and nephew.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 3, 2026

I remember when Kara, Locke, and I ditched a seminar.

From "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary E. Pearson

When there was an issue, I scheduled seminars, makeup sessions and phone office hours at different times to supplement the meetings and assignments.

From Salon ● Aug. 24, 2026

They’re more likely to come from officers who’ve been seasoned on the battlefield and in academic seminars.

From Slate ● Aug. 13, 2026

Det Ch Insp Rob Burns, who worked on the investigation, said he would then utilise luxury hotels and conference suits to hold seminars that were "very professional".

From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026

The organization, which invited Gordon to join its board of directors, started hosting educational seminars and training sessions on the topic of GLP-1s for doctors and mental-health professionals.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026

Now, thanks to the educational seminars and emergency care provided by the clinic’s volunteer staff, that mortality rate has been cut to less than one death per 30,000 trekkers.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer

Related Words

• convention
• discussion
• forum
• group discussion
• meeting
• round table
• symposium
• workshop