semi

See also: Semi, ṣemi, şemî, semi-, -semi, and семи

English

Etymology

The prefix semi- (from Latin) used as a noun.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈsɛmi/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈsɛmi/, /ˈsɛmaɪ/

• Audio (Australia):

  (file)

• Audio (UK):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛmi
• Hyphenation: semi

Noun

semi (plural semis)

1. (UK, Ireland, Australia, Canada, informal) A semi-detached house.
   • 2008, Elliott Placks, quoted in Helen Isbister, Morris Bryant, Property, Career FAQs, Australia, page 40,

     I′m selling two side-by-side semis that are currently under construction, a waterfront apartment and a house in Rose Bay.

   • 2008, Barry Goodchild, Homes, Cities and Neighbourhoods: Planning and the Residential Landscapes of Modern Britain, page 52:

     The smaller semis of the 1920s and 1930s were closely related to the three bedroom pre-1919 narrow fronted terraces, at least to the larger pre-1919 terraces.

   • 2012, Tim Moore, You Are Awful (But I Like You): Travels Around Unloved Britain, Vintage, →ISBN, page 150:

     The roads were lined with cramped little semis and 1960s bungalows: Britain's cheapest houses, in their flimsy, pebble-dashed glory.

3. (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, US) A semi-trailer; a tractor-trailer; an eighteen-wheeler; an artic.
   • 1967, Tommy Faile, “Phantom 309”, performed by Red Sovine:

     I was hungry an' freezin' an' done caught a chill / When the lights of a big semi topped the hill

   • 2011, Eamonn Duff, Schapelle Corby: The Untold Story Behind Her Ill-Fated Drug Run, Australia: Allen & Unwin, unnumbered page:

     All night we couldn′t hear each other speak because of the sound of semis changing gear to get over the hill.

4. (informal) A semifinal.
5. (slang) A partial erection of the penis.
   • 2010, Mickey Erlach, Video Boys, page 158:

     The twink got a semi just from that look.

6. (slang) A semiautomatic firearm.
   • 2023 April 28, “Got Dat Muneh” (track 10, 0:48 from the start), in Summrs (lyrics), GHOST‎^[1]:

     See these niggas through the reticle sight up on my semi
     […]
     For niggas plottin', I might blow it at your fitted
     Get your bitch-ass slimed out, it ain't no kiddin'
     Ain't no kiddin', got that semi

7. (slang, finance) Semiconductor companies or positions in the stock market.
8. (colloquial, mining) An intermediate in the production of end-use goods.
   • 2025 April 1, Dorjdari Namkhaijantsan, Zoljargal Naranbaatar, “Copper and the energy transition”, in Copper Sector Expansion in Mongolia: Opportunities and Challenges‎^[2], Natural Resource Governance Institute, page 13 of 10–26:

     Mining companies crush and grind the extracted ore, and then use flotation processes to produce copper concentrates, which typically contain up to 30 percent copper. These concentrates are then smelted to produce copper blister, which has a purity of up to 99 percent. The blister is further refined to produce copper cathode, or pure copper, with a grade of around 99.99 percent. This process is known as pyrometallurgy, and is suitable for sulfide ores as opposed to oxide ores. The pure copper then feeds into the fabrication of various copper products, such as wire rods, wires, bars, and sheets—collectively known as semis—used as inputs in the manufacturing of end-use products, including consumer goods and construction, transportation (e.g., EVs) and infrastructure components.

Translations

semi-detached house — see semi-detached

semi-erection

• Finnish: puolierektio, semi (fi)
• French: demi-molle (fr) f (literally “half-soft”)
• Polish: częściowa erekcja f
• Portuguese: meia-bomba

Adverb

semi (not comparable)

1. (informal) Somewhat; to some extent.
   • 2013, Mark Morris, The Secret of Anatomy:

     'Is that a serious question?' he asked.
     Ralph shrugged with his face, jutting out his bottom lip. 'Well ... semi,' he said.

Anagrams

• EMIs, ESMI, IMEs, MSIE, Meis, Sime, eSIM, mise

Esperanto

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *seh₁-

Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥

Proto-Indo-European *séh₁mn̥

Proto-Italic *sēmn̥

Latin sēmenbor.

Esperanto semo

Proto-Italic *-jezi

▲

Latin -ereinflu.

Latin -īre

French -irbor.?

▲

Latin -īre

Spanish -irbor.?

Proto-Indo-European *-yétider.

Latin -īre

Old Galician-Portuguese -ir

Portuguese -irbor.?

▲

Latin -ire

Italian -irebor.?

▲

Latin -iō

Romanian -ibor.?

Esperanto -i

Esperanto semi

From semo + -i.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsemi/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -emi
• Syllabification: se‧mi

Verb

semi (present semas, past semis, future semos, conditional semus, volitive semu)

1. (transitive) to sow

Conjugation

Conjugation of semi

		present		past		future
		singular	plural	singular	plural	singular	plural
tense		semas		semis		semos
active participle		semanta	semantaj	seminta	semintaj	semonta	semontaj
	acc.	semantan	semantajn	semintan	semintajn	semontan	semontajn
passive participle		semata	semataj	semita	semitaj	semota	semotaj
	acc.	sematan	sematajn	semitan	semitajn	semotan	semotajn
nominal active participle		semanto	semantoj	seminto	semintoj	semonto	semontoj
	acc.	semanton	semantojn	seminton	semintojn	semonton	semontojn
nominal passive participle		semato	sematoj	semito	semitoj	semoto	semotoj
	acc.	sematon	sematojn	semiton	semitojn	semoton	semotojn
adverbial active participle		semante		seminte		semonte
adverbial passive participle		semate		semite		semote
		infinitive	semi	imperative	semu	conditional	semus

Derived terms

• dissemi (“scatter; disseminate”)

Further reading

• “semi”, in Plena Ilustrita Vortaro de Esperanto [Complete Illustrated Dictionary of Esperanto], 2020, →ISBN
• “semi”, in Reta Vortaro [Online Dictionary] (in Esperanto), 1997-2026

Finnish

Etymology

See semi-. Sense "semi-erection" a semantic loan from English semi.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsemi/, [ˈs̠e̞mi]
• Rhymes: -emi
• Syllabification^(key): se‧mi
• Hyphenation^(key): se‧mi

Adjective

semi (comparative semimpi, superlative semein) (predicative only, colloquial)

1. mid, mediocre, not bad, not good

   No se esitys oli aika semi. ― Well, the show was just okay

Adverb

semi (not comparable) (attributive only, colloquial)

1. sort of, kind of, pretty

   Synonyms: aika, jokseenkin, melko

   semi ookoo ― pretty okay

   semi paska ― kind of shit

Noun

semi (colloquial)

1. semi, partial tumescence

   Synonym: puolierektio

Declension

Inflection of semi (Kotus type 5/risti, no gradation)
nominative		semi	semit
genitive		semin	semien
partitive		semiä	semejä
illative		semiin	semeihin
		singular	plural
nominative		semi	semit
accusative	nom.	semi	semit
	gen.	semin
genitive		semin	semien
partitive		semiä	semejä
inessive		semissä	semeissä
elative		semistä	semeistä
illative		semiin	semeihin
adessive		semillä	semeillä
ablative		semiltä	semeiltä
allative		semille	semeille
essive		seminä	semeinä
translative		semiksi	semeiksi
abessive		semittä	semeittä
instructive		—	semein
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of semi (Kotus type 5/risti, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative semini semini accusative nom. semini semini gen. semini genitive semini semieni partitive semiäni semejäni inessive semissäni semeissäni elative semistäni semeistäni illative semiini semeihini adessive semilläni semeilläni ablative semiltäni semeiltäni allative semilleni semeilleni essive seminäni semeinäni translative semikseni semeikseni abessive semittäni semeittäni instructive — — comitative — semeineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative semisi semisi accusative nom. semisi semisi gen. semisi genitive semisi semiesi partitive semiäsi semejäsi inessive semissäsi semeissäsi elative semistäsi semeistäsi illative semiisi semeihisi adessive semilläsi semeilläsi ablative semiltäsi semeiltäsi allative semillesi semeillesi essive seminäsi semeinäsi translative semiksesi semeiksesi abessive semittäsi semeittäsi instructive — — comitative — semeinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative semimme semimme accusative nom. semimme semimme gen. semimme genitive semimme semiemme partitive semiämme semejämme inessive semissämme semeissämme elative semistämme semeistämme illative semiimme semeihimme adessive semillämme semeillämme ablative semiltämme semeiltämme allative semillemme semeillemme essive seminämme semeinämme translative semiksemme semeiksemme abessive semittämme semeittämme instructive — — comitative — semeinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative seminne seminne accusative nom. seminne seminne gen. seminne genitive seminne semienne partitive semiänne semejänne inessive semissänne semeissänne elative semistänne semeistänne illative semiinne semeihinne adessive semillänne semeillänne ablative semiltänne semeiltänne allative semillenne semeillenne essive seminänne semeinänne translative semiksenne semeiksenne abessive semittänne semeittänne instructive — — comitative — semeinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative seminsä seminsä accusative nom. seminsä seminsä gen. seminsä genitive seminsä semiensä partitive semiään semiänsä semejään semejänsä inessive semissään semissänsä semeissään semeissänsä elative semistään semistänsä semeistään semeistänsä illative semiinsä semeihinsä adessive semillään semillänsä semeillään semeillänsä ablative semiltään semiltänsä semeiltään semeiltänsä allative semilleen semillensä semeilleen semeillensä essive seminään seminänsä semeinään semeinänsä translative semikseen semiksensä semeikseen semeiksensä abessive semittään semittänsä semeittään semeittänsä instructive — — comitative — semeineen semeinensä

Derived terms

• semisti

Further reading

• “semi”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[3] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 3 July 2023

Indonesian

Etymology

From Malay semi (“shoot, sprout”).

• Semantic loan from Javanese ꦱꦼꦩꦶ (semi, “sprouting”).

Pronunciation

• (Standard Indonesian) IPA^(key): /səˈmi/ [səˈmi]
• Rhymes: -i
• Syllabification: se‧mi

Noun

sêmi (plural semi-semi)

1. shoot, sprout

   Synonyms: taruk, tunas

2. (dialect) sprouting

Derived terms

• bersemi

Further reading

• “semi”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016

Italian

Noun

semi m

1. plural of seme

Anagrams

• mesi, mise

Japanese

Romanization

semi

1. Rōmaji transcription of せみ
2. Rōmaji transcription of セミ

Middle English

Verb

semi

1. alternative form of semen (“to sort out”)

Old Norse

Verb

semi

1. third-person active present subjunctive of semja

Pali

Alternative forms

Alternative scripts

• 𑀲𑁂𑀫𑀺 (Brahmi script)
• सेमि (Devanagari script)
• সেমি (Bengali script)
• සෙමි (Sinhalese script)
• သေမိ (Burmese script)
• เสมิ (Thai script)
• ᩈᩮᨾᩥ (Tai Tham script)
• ເສມິ (Lao script)
• សេមិ (Khmer script)
• 𑄥𑄬𑄟𑄨 (Chakma script)

Verb

semi

1. first-person singular present/imperative active of seti (“to sleep”)

Spanish

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *sem-

Proto-Indo-European *sēmi

Latin sēmi-der.

Spanish semi-

Latin fīnis

Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-

Proto-Indo-European *-is

Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.?

Proto-Italic *-ālis

Latin -ālis

Latin fīnālis

Spanish final

Spanish semifinalclip.

Spanish semi

Clipping of semifinal.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsemi/ [ˈse.mi]
• Rhymes: -emi
• Syllabification: se‧mi

Noun

semi f (plural semis)

1. (colloquial) semifinal, semi-final

   Synonym: semifinal

   • 2022 March 19, Alberto Rubio, “El Chelsea se mete en semis de FA Cup y manda un 'aviso' al Real Madrid”, in Marca‎^[4], archived from the original on 5 March 2026:
   • 2022 March 16, Aimara G. Gil, “El Barcelona sigue intratable y se mete en semis con otra goleada”, in As‎^[5], archived from the original on 4 February 2026:
   • 2021 August 19, Lautaro Tiburzio, “No habrá cuarteto de brasileños en semis: Barcelona eliminó a Fluminense”, in Bolavip‎^[6], archived from the original on 29 August 2021:

Swahili

Pronunciation

• (Unguja standard) IPA^(key): /ˈsɛ.mi/

• Audio (Kenya):

  (file)

Noun

semi

1. plural of usemi

Swedish

Noun

semi c

1. clipping of semifinal

Declension

Declension of semi

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	semi	semis
	definite	semin	semins
plural	indefinite	semifinaler	semifinalers
	definite	semifinalerna	semifinalernas

Venetan

Adjective

semi

1. masculine plural of semo