See Also: semi(medicine)
semi-(dictionary)
semi(dictionary)
semi-ped(dictionary)
semi-det(dictionary)
semi-(dictionary)
semi(dictionary)
semi-vowel(dictionary)
semi pupa(medicine)
semi-precious(dictionary)

semi- (iou)



semi- prefix.
[Latin (partly through French, Italian, etc.) corresp. to Greek hemi- HEMI-, Sanskrit sami, from Indo-European base also of SAM-, Old Saxon sam, Old High German sami.]
Used in words adopted (ult.) from Latin and in English words modelled on these, and (almost completely displacing DEMI-) as a freely productive prefix, forming nouns from nouns and adjectives from adjectives and, less commonly, verbs from verbs, with the senses 'half, half-sized', as semicircle, semicircular; 'partly, partially, to some extent', as semi-official, semi-detached; 'imperfectly, incompletely', as semi-liquid; 'occurring or appearing twice in a specified period', as semi-annual.
semi-a'coustic adjective & noun (a) adjective (of a guitar) having a hollow body, typically with f-holes, and one or more electrical pick-ups; (b) noun a semi-acoustic guitar: L20.
semi-'animate adjective half-alive E19.
semi-'annual adjective & noun (a) adjective occurring, published, etc., twice a year, half-yearly; (of a plant) living for half a year only; (b) noun a semi-annual plant: L18.
semi-'annually adverb every half-year, once in every six months E19.
semi-'annular adjective of the form of a half-ring L17.
semi-an'tique adjective & noun (a) adjective (of an oriental rug or carpet) between fifty and one hundred years old (b) noun a semi-antique oriental rug or carpet: M20.
semi-a'quatic adjective partly aquatic and partly terrestrial; amphibious: M19.
semi-'arid adjective having slightly more precipitation than an arid climate, coarse grasses and scrub being the characteristic vegetation L19.
semi-a'ttached adjective (rare) partially or loosely attached; semi-detached: M19.
semi-'axis noun half of a diameter of an ellipse etc. M18.
semi-Ban'tu adjective & noun (of, designating or pertaining to) a group of languages closely related to Bantu E20.
semi-bar'barian noun a person who is partly a barbarian L17.
semi-'barbarism noun the state or condition of being semi-barbarous L18.
semi-'barbarous adjective that is partly barbarous L18.
semi-'basement noun (Architecture) a basement room or rooms sunk only partially below ground level E20.
semi-'beam noun (Architecture) = CANTILEVER 2 M19.
semi-'bold adjective & noun (printed in) a weight of typeface between normal and bold L20.
semi-'broch noun (Archaeology) a prehistoric hollow-walled fort of the Hebrides and W. Scotland representing a stage of development between the galleried dun and the broch E20.
semi-'cell noun (Botany) either of the two parts of a cell which is constricted in the middle, as in a desmid L19.
semi-'chemical adjective designating (wood pulp made by) a pulping process in which wood chips are subjected to mild chemical delignification followed by mechanical processing E20.
semi-'chorus noun (a) either of two parts into which the main body of a chorus is divided; a part of a chorus or choir; (b) a piece of music etc. to be performed by a semi-chorus: L18.
semi-'civilized adjective partially civilized M19.
semi-'classical adjective (a) gen. (esp. in Music) partly classical; (b) Physics designating a theory that is intermediate in its assumptions and methods between the classical, or Newtonian, description and that of modern physics, esp. in quantum mechanics and relativity: M20.
semi-'closed adjective (Medicine) designating a method of administering anaesthetics using a gas supply that is closed from the atmosphere but with gas in excess of the patient's needs being vented off E20.
semi-'coke noun a smokeless fuel leaving little ash, made from coal by carbonization at a low temperature (usu. 500-600C) E20.
semi-'coking adjective (of coal) intermediate between coking coal and coal not suitable for making coke E20.
semi-'column noun (chiefly Architecture) half of a column cut longitudinally E18.
semi-commoner noun = DEMY noun 2 L17-E18.
semi-'conscious adjective partially conscious M19.
semi-con'servative adjective (Biochemistry) designating or pertaining to (the accepted model of) replication of a nucleic acid in which one complete strand of each double helix is directly derived from the parent molecule M20.
semicon'servatively adverb (Biochemistry) by semi-conservative replication M20.
semi-con'vergent adjective (Math.) designating a series the sum of whose terms converges while the sum of the moduli of its terms diverges L19.
semi-'crystalline adjective having a structure consisting of crystals embedded in an amorphous groundmass, or (now usu.) possessing crystalline character in some degree E19.
semi-'cursive adjective & noun (Palaeography) (of or pertaining to) any of various scripts combining cursive features with elements of a more formal style E20.
semi'cylinder noun half of a cylinder cut longitudinally M17.
semicy'lindric,
semicy'lindrical adjectives of the form of a semi-cylinder M18.
semi-'deity noun = SEMIGOD E17.
semi-de'ponent noun & adjective (Grammar) (of) a Latin verb having active forms in present tenses and passive forms with active sense in perfect tenses L19.
semi-'desert adjective & noun (designating) a semi-arid area intermediate between grassland and desert M19.
semi-di'aphanous adjective (now rare) partially or not completely transparent M17.
semi-di'rect adjective not completely direct; spec. (of lighting) so arranged that most but not all of the light reaches the illuminated area without first being reflected (cf. semi-indirect): E20.
semi-di'splay noun (Typography) a layout (for an advertisement etc.) intermediate between the run-on and displayed styles L20.
semi-di'splayed adjective (Typography) (of an advertisement etc.) set out in semi-display L20.
semi-di'urnal adjective (a) Astronomy of, pertaining to, or performed in half the time between the rising and setting of a celestial object; (b) (esp. of tides) occurring (roughly) every twelve hours: L16.
semi-di'vine adjective half divine; that is a demigod: E17.
semi-docu'mentary adjective & noun (a film) having a factual basis presented in fictional form M20.
semi-dome noun a half-dome, esp. one formed by vertical section; a part of a structure more or less resembling a dome: L18.
semi-domed adjective having the form of a semi-dome M19.
semi-'double adjective (a) (Roman Catholic Church, now Hist.) (of a feast) ranking in importance between a double and a simple feast; (b) (of a flower) intermediate between double and single in having only the outer stamens converted to petals: L15.
semi-'double noun (a) (Roman Catholic Church, now Hist.) a semi-double feast; (b) a semi-double flower: M19.
semi-e'llipse noun half of an ellipse bisected by one of its diameters, esp. the transverse M18.
semi-e'lliptical adjective of or pertaining to a semi-ellipse M18.
semi-em'pirical adjective deriving in part from theoretical considerations and in part from the results of experiment M20.
semi-em'pirically adverb in a semi-empirical manner L20.
semi-'evening adjective (of clothes, esp. a woman's dress) fashionable but not fully formal, suitable for both afternoon and evening wear (chiefly in
semi-evening dress) E20.
semi-'evergreen adjective normally evergreen but shedding some leaves in severe conditions M20.
semi-'fabricated adjective (of a material) formed into some standard shape for use in the making of finished articles M20.
semi'fabricator noun a manufacturer of semifabricated goods L20.
semi-feral adjective half-wild; esp. (of an animal) partly feral: L19.
semiferine adjective (rare) half-wild, semi-feral M19.
semi-field noun (Math.) a set, together with operations answering to addition and multiplication, that has certain specified properties of a field but not all of them E20.
semi'final noun a match or round immediately preceding the final L19.
semi'finalist noun a competitor in a semi-final L19.
semi-'finished adjective prepared for the final stage of manufacture M20.
semi-'fitted adjective (of a garment) shaped to the body but not closely fitted M20.
semiflex verb trans. bend (esp. a joint or muscle) into a position halfway between extension and flexure M19.
semi'formal adjective & noun (a) adjective combining formal and informal elements; (of clothing) neither particularly formal nor casual; (b) noun (chiefly US) an event at which semiformal attire is expected: L19.
semi-'formed adjective half-formed E19.
semi-globe noun half of a globe; a hemisphere or hemispherical form, structure, etc.: M18.
semi-'globular adjective of the form of a semi-globe E18.
semi-grand adjective & noun (of) a modified form of the grand piano M20.
semi-group noun (Math.) a set together with an associative binary operation under which it is closed E20.
semi-hoop noun (rare) a semicircular arc or arch L17.
semi-indi'rect adjective (of lighting) so arranged that most but not all of the light reaches the illuminated area indirectly, after reflection or scattering by a surface (cf. semi-direct) E20.
semi-'infinite adjective (Math. & Physics) infinite with respect to a particular dimension etc. E20.
semi-in'tensive adjective (Agriculture) of or pertaining to a method of rearing livestock including features of intensive farming M20.
semi-'invalid noun a partially disabled or somewhat infirm person M20.
semi-in'variant noun (a) Math. a function of the coefficients of a binary quantic which satisfies only one of two equations satisfied by an invariant function of the coefficients; (b) Statistics any of a set of functions of a statistical distribution, each expressible as a polynomial in the moments: M19.
semi-'lethal adjective & noun (Genetics) (of or designating) an allele or chromosomal abnormality which impairs the viability of most of the individuals homozygous for it E20.
semi-'liquid adjective & noun (a substance that is) partly liquid and partly solid; semifluid: L17.
semi-log adjective = semi-logarithmic E20.
semi-loga'rithmic adjective having or designating a scale that is linear in one direction and logarithmic in the other E20.
semi-main noun (US) = REPeCHAGE M20.
semi-'major adjective designating the axis of an ellipse which is half the longest diameter L19.
semi-manufacture noun a product made from raw materials and used in the manufacture of finished goods M20.
semi-ma'ture adjective (a) rare half-ripe; (b) partially mature: LME.
semi-'minor adjective designating the axis of an ellipse which is half the shortest diameter E20.
semi-'monthly adjective & adverb (a) adjective occurring, published, etc., twice a month; (b) adverb twice a month: M19.
semi-'monocoque adjective & noun (designating or based on) an aircraft fuselage etc. having a rigid load-bearing shell together with a framework of longerons or stringers, or a motor vehicle underframe or body combining features of the monocoque and space-frame types E20.
semi-'mute adjective & noun (of) a person who is deaf but has some faculty of speech M19.
semi-noc'turnal adjective (a) Astronomy pertaining to, or accomplished in, exactly half a night, semi-diurnal; (b) Zoology partly nocturnal in habits: L16.
semi-'nomad adjective & noun (a) adjective semi-nomadic; (b) noun a semi-nomadic person: M20.
semi-no'madic adjective partially nomadic and partially settled; esp. designating a social group depending largely on seasonal pasturing: M19.
semi-'nude adjective half-naked M19.
semi-'nudity noun the condition of being semi-nude M19.
semi-o'ccasional adjective (US, rare) occurring once in a while M19.
semi-o'ccasionally adverb (US, rare) once in a while M19.
semi-o'fficial adjective partly official; esp. (of a communication to a newspaper etc.) made by an official with the stipulation that the source is not revealed: E19.
semi-o'fficially adverb in a semi-official manner M19.
semi-o'pacity noun the condition or quality of being semi-opaque L17.
semi-opal noun [translating German Halbopal] an inferior variety of opal with a greater degree of hardness and opacity L18.
semi-o'paque adjective partly opaque; not fully transparent: L17.
semi-'open adjective partially open; spec. (Medicine) designating a method of administering anaesthetics in which the inspired gas is atmospheric air partially restricted or controlled by some device: E20.
semi-'opera noun (chiefly Hist.) a masque or similar entertainment with a substantial proportion of vocal music E18.
semi-'oval adjective & noun (of the form of) half an oval cut longitudinally E18.
semipa'rabola noun (Math.) (a) half of a parabola; (b) a curve resembling a parabola, described by an equation of the form axn-1=yn: M17.
semi-'permanent adjective less than completely permanent L19.
semi-'permanently adverb in a semi-permanent manner M20.
semi-plume noun a feather with a long firm shaft but a downy web L19.
semi-'porcelain noun ware resembling porcelain but having an inferior glaze, finish, etc. L19.
semi-portal adjective of a crane mounted on a frame consisting of a horizontal member supported at one end by an upright E20.
semi'precious adjective (of a mineral stone) able to be cut and polished for use in ornamentation and jewellery but not of sufficient value to rank as a gemstone E20.
semi-'pro noun & adjective (colloq., orig. & chiefly US) (pl. of noun -os) = semi-professional E20.
semi-pro'fessional noun & adjective (a) noun a musician, sportsman or -woman, etc., receiving payment for an occupation or activity but not relying on it for a living; (b) adjective of, pertaining to or designating a semi-professional or semi-professionals; involving or employing semi-professionals: L19.
semi-prole'tariat noun in Marxist theory, the class intermediate between the proletariat and the petty bourgeoisie M20.
semi-'prone adjective lying face downwards with one or both knees flexed to the side; designating this position: L19.
semi-re'tired adjective having partially retired, esp. from occupation or employment L20.
semi-re'tirement noun the state or condition of being semi-retired M20.
semi-'rigid adjective & noun (a) adjective (of an airship) having a flexible gas container attached to a stiffened keel or framework; gen. somewhat rigid; having a certain amount of rigidity; (b) noun a semi-rigid airship: E20.
semi-ring noun half of a ring; a semi-annular form, object, etc.: M19.
semi-'rotary adjective partly rotary M19.
semi-ro'tatory adjective partly rotatory E19.
semi-'savage adjective & noun (of) a semi-barbarian E19.
Semi-'Saxon adjective & noun (arch.) (of, pertaining to or designating) Middle English of the early period, between about 1150 and 1250: M18.
semi-sentence noun (Grammar) a form possessing some but not all of the features of a sentence M20.
semi-'skilled adjective (of work or a worker) having or requiring some skill or special training, but less than that necessary for a skilled task or worker E20.
semi-'skimmed adjective (of milk) from which some cream has been skimmed L20.
semi-smile noun an expression that is not quite a smile M19.
semi-'solid adjective of the consistency of a very thick, stiff fluid or suspension, or a very soft solid; semifluid: M19.
semi'spheroid noun (long rare or obsolete) a hemispheroid L18.
semisphe'roidal adjective (rare) hemispheroidal M17.
semi-'sports adjective (colloq.) (a) (of clothes) somewhat informal or casual; (b) (of a motor car) possessing some of the characteristics of a sports car: E20.
semi-steel noun (now rare) a low-carbon cast iron produced by melting mild steel with pig iron M19.
semi-'sterile adjective (Biology) reduced in fertility by approximately 50 per cent E20.
semi-ste'rility noun the state or condition of being semi-sterile E20.
semi-sub noun = semi-submersible noun L20.
semi-sub'mersible adjective & noun (of) an offshore drilling platform or barge with submerged hollow pontoons able to be flooded with water when the vessel is anchored on site in order to provide stability M20.
semi-sweet adjective (of a biscuit etc.) slightly sweetened M20.
semisyn'thetic adjective that is a mixture of synthetic and natural materials, or has been prepared by artificial modification of a natural material; that is a combination of synthetic and natural processes: M20.
semi-'trailer noun a road trailer having wheels at the back but supported at the front by a towing vehicle E20.
semi-trans'parency noun the quality or condition of being semi-transparent; partial transparency: L18.
semi-trans'parent adjective partially or imperfectly transparent L18.
semi-'tropical adjective subtropical M19.
semi-'tropics noun pl. the subtropics E20.
semi-'uncial adjective & noun = half-uncial s.v. HALF- M18.
semi-'vitreous adjective partially vitreous L18.
semi-vitrifi'cation noun partial vitrification L18.
semi-'vitrified adjective partially vitrified M18.
semi-'weekly adjective & adverb (a) adjective occurring, published, etc., twice a week; (b) adverb twice a week: L18.
semi-works noun (US) a manufacturing plant for developing and perfecting a new product or process after testing in a pilot plant and before full-scale production M20.