- sem|i
- sem|i «SEHM ee», noun. Informal.1. a semitrailer.2. a semifinal.3. British. a semi-detached house.prefix.1. exactly half: »
Semicircle = a half circle. Semirevolution = one half revolution. Semitone = one half tone.
2. about half; partly; incompletely: »Semiskilled = incompletely skilled. Semicivilized = partly civilized. Semibarbarian = partly barbarian. Semisecret = not completely secret.
3. half a (period of time); twice. Semi_____ly means in each half of a _____, or twice in a _____: »Semiannually = every half year, or twice a year.
╂[< Latin sēmi-]Usage a Semi- is not usually hyphenated except before proper names (»semi-Christian
) or words beginning with i (»semi-invalid
). In British use the hyphen tends to be retained in words formed in English by adding the prefix to an existing form (»semi-detached
), as distinguished from words derived from forms without the hyphen in Latin, French, etc. b Semi- is usually pronounced «SEHM ee-» before both vowels and consonants, sometimes «SEHM uh-» before consonants, and occasionally «SEHM y-».
Useful english dictionary. 2012.