Semi: meaning, definitions and examples

Etymology

• The prefix comes from Latin 'semi-', which means 'half.'
• It is used in various languages and has been adopted in English since the 14th century.
• In Italian, 'semi' can refer to seeds, showing a connection to partiality in growth.

Mathematics

• In geometry, a semi-circle is an arc that represents half of a circle.
• The concept of semi-regular tessellations includes shapes that tile a plane partially.
• Semi-prime numbers are products of exactly two prime numbers, demonstrating partial factorization.

Cultural References

• The semi-final in sports, particularly in tournaments, represents the matches played before the ultimate final game.
• In literature, a semi-colon connects two independent thoughts, showing a partial relationship between them.
• The term semi-professional refers to individuals engaged in a sport at a level below full-time professionals.

Linguistics

• In phonetics, a semi-vowel is a sound that is not fully a vowel but exhibits qualities of both vowels and consonants.
• Many words in English use 'semi' as a prefix, such as semi-automatic, meaning partially automatic.
• Language structures often use semi-fixed phrases, which are partially set expressions allowing for some variation.

Science

• In biology, organisms can be described as semi-aquatic if they partially live in water and partially on land.
• Semi-permeable membranes allow certain molecules to pass through while blocking others, crucial in cellular biology.
• In chemistry, a semi-solid state indicates a substance that is partially solid, like jelly.