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.
At the close of each semester at my small liberal arts college, students bury themselves in the library, staking out study rooms, flipping through stacks of books and notes, and squinting at laptop screens. Moira Gleason, National Review, 24 July 2025 Fall-only loans are also available only for seniors graduating that semester. Andreina Rodriguez, CNBC, 24 July 2025 The district has been moving up its calendar largely so the fall semester ends before winter break and students don’t have to study for exams during it. Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 July 2025 Some instructors teach three honors classes of senior-level students each semester, some teach five first-year surveys, and some teach a mix of everything. Nicole Donawho, JSTOR Daily, 22 July 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

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Cite this Entry

“Semester.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/semester. Accessed 29 Jul. 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

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