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

plural

semimonthlies

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.

Etymology

Origin of semimonthly

First recorded in 1855–60; semi- + monthly

Example Sentences

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

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

For years, leaders of Space Exploration Technologies Corp., as the company is formally called, have held out semimonthly launches as a cherished goal.

From The Wall Street Journal

Ms. Fearon performs as the character in public appearances like charity auctions for the several boards on which she serves, including the Irish American Writers and Artists organization, whose semimonthly salons she helps M.C.

From New York Times

But Ian Shepherdson, chief economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, noted that wages may have fallen because the survey for the jobs report occurred before Feb. 15, which is payday for people who are paid semimonthly.

From US News