semester

noun

se·​mes·​ter sə-ˈme-stər How to pronounce semester (audio)
1
: either of the two usually 18-week periods of instruction into which an academic year is often divided
2
: a period of six months
semestral adjective
or semestrial

Examples of semester in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Columbia anti-Israel agitators barge into classroom, hand out antisemitic flyers Pro-Palestinian protesters interrupted a History of Modern Israel class at Columbia University on the first day of the spring semester and handed out antisemitic flyers. Christina Coulter, Fox News, 23 Jan. 2025 Students who are not within 60 units of graduation or who are otherwise unable to follow a pathway to graduating within two years will be required to change majors by the end of the Spring 2025 semester. Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025 At Columbia, following a tumultuous school year marked by protests, an encampment on school grounds, a building occupation and the mass arrest of more than 100 demonstrators, the university’s president resigned at the start of the fall semester in August. Jeff Winter, CNN, 23 Jan. 2025 What’s more, December 2024 closed out the biggest half-year globally since 2019 with a total of $13.3 billion, 5% ahead of 2023’s second semester. Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 15 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for semester 

Word History

Etymology

German, from Latin semestris half-yearly, from sex six + mensis month — more at six, moon

First Known Use

1827, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of semester was in 1827

Dictionary Entries Near semester

Cite this Entry

“Semester.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/semester. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

semester

noun
se·​mes·​ter sə-ˈmes-tər How to pronounce semester (audio)
: either of two terms of about 18 weeks each that make up a school year

More from Merriam-Webster on semester

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!