semimonthly

American  

[sem-ee-muhnth-lee, sem-ahy-] / ˌsɛm iˈmʌnθ li, ˌsɛm aɪ- /

adjective

1. made, occurring, done, or published twice a month.

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noun

• semimonthlies
  plural

1. something occurring every half month or twice a month.

2. a semimonthly publication.

adverb

1. twice a month.

   We went semimonthly to see her.

Usage

What does semimonthly mean? Semimonthly means twice a month. It can be used this way as an adjective, as in a semimonthly meeting, or an adverb, as in We plan to meet semimonthly. The word bimonthly is a synonym, but it can also mean once every two months. Although semimonthly is typically only used to mean twice a month—not every two months—it can still be confusing. The best (and maybe only) way to be perfectly clear is to just say “twice a month.”Semimonthly can also be used as a noun referring to a semimonthly event or a publication that’s published twice a month (as opposed to a weekly or daily, for example). Example: Let’s plan to meet semimonthly, on the first and third Monday.

Commonly Confused

See bi- ¹.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• semimonthlies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of semimonthly

First recorded in 1855–60; semi- + monthly

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

semimonthly

This isn’t the first time Francis has called out American critics, nor is it the first time La Civiltà Cattolica, a 173-year-old semimonthly, has been the vehicle reporting such criticism.

From Washington Times ● Aug. 28, 2023

UDC employees affected under this act are paid semimonthly, while D.C. government employees are paid biweekly — resulting in two fewer paychecks per year for university employees.

From Washington Post ● Jul. 25, 2022

However Haber declined to answer questions about whether the provision applied to so called semimonthly workers like the teaching assistant, who has provisional status because she does not yet have a teaching credential.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 16, 2021

A story fortunate enough to be picked as a Crime Club semimonthly selection may sell about 10,000 copies, while Gardner's trade-edition average over the past five years has been 24,000.

From Time Magazine Archive

Sloo of Cincinnati: one for mail transportation by steamship between New York and Liverpool, semimonthly, the other between New York and New Orleans, Havana, and Chagres, twice a month.

From Manual of Ship Subsidies by Edwin M. Bacon