"half-" meaning in English

See half- in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Prefix

Etymology: From Middle English half-, from Old English healf-, from Proto-Germanic *halba- (“half-”), from *halbaz (“half”). Cognate with Dutch half- (“half-”), German halb- (“half-”), Swedish halv- (“half-”), Icelandic hálf- (“half-”). More at half. Etymology templates: {{inh|en|enm|half-}} Middle English half-, {{inh|en|ang|healf-}} Old English healf-, {{inh|en|gem-pro|*halba-|t=half-}} Proto-Germanic *halba- (“half-”), {{cog|nl|half-|t=half-}} Dutch half- (“half-”), {{cog|de|halb-|t=half-}} German halb- (“half-”), {{cog|sv|halv-|t=half-}} Swedish halv- (“half-”), {{cog|is|hálf-|t=half-}} Icelandic hálf- (“half-”) Head templates: {{en-prefix}} half-
  1. half or partial; not complete Tags: morpheme Synonyms (half): semi-, hemi-, demi- Synonyms (partial): semi-, demi- Translations (prefix denoting half or partial — see also semi-, hemi-, demi-): полу- (polu-) (Bulgarian), halb- (German), Halb- (German), ημι- (imi-) (Greek), hálf- (Icelandic), sēmi- (Latin), полу- (polu-) (Russian), полу- [Cyrillic] (Serbo-Croatian), polu- [Roman] (Serbo-Croatian)
    Sense id: en-half--en-prefix-mfjYgLz7 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes, Pages using catfix, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Terms with Bulgarian translations, Terms with German translations, Terms with Greek translations, Terms with Icelandic translations, Terms with Latin translations, Terms with Russian translations, Terms with Serbo-Croatian translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 63 37 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 81 19 Disambiguation of Pages using catfix: 81 19 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 47 53 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 63 37 Disambiguation of Terms with Bulgarian translations: 78 22 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 77 23 Disambiguation of Terms with Greek translations: 75 25 Disambiguation of Terms with Icelandic translations: 77 23 Disambiguation of Terms with Latin translations: 83 17 Disambiguation of Terms with Russian translations: 80 20 Disambiguation of Terms with Serbo-Croatian translations: 51 49 Disambiguation of 'half': 95 5 Disambiguation of 'partial': 100 0 Disambiguation of 'prefix denoting half or partial — see also semi-, hemi-, demi-': 85 15
  2. Used before brother, sister, uncle, aunt, and so forth, to indicate that the person being identified is related only through one parent, grandparent, and so forth, rather than two. Tags: morpheme
    Sense id: en-half--en-prefix-dlSx9coC Categories (other): Pages with 1 entry, Terms with Serbo-Croatian translations, Family Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 47 53 Disambiguation of Terms with Serbo-Croatian translations: 51 49 Disambiguation of Family: 0 100
     
{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "half-"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English half-",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "healf-"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English healf-",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*halba-",
        "t": "half-"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *halba- (“half-”)",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "nl",
        "2": "half-",
        "t": "half-"
      },
      "expansion": "Dutch half- (“half-”)",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "halb-",
        "t": "half-"
      },
      "expansion": "German halb- (“half-”)",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "sv",
        "2": "halv-",
        "t": "half-"
      },
      "expansion": "Swedish halv- (“half-”)",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "is",
        "2": "hálf-",
        "t": "half-"
      },
      "expansion": "Icelandic hálf- (“half-”)",
      "name": "cog"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English half-, from Old English healf-, from Proto-Germanic *halba- (“half-”), from *halbaz (“half”). Cognate with Dutch half- (“half-”), German halb- (“half-”), Swedish halv- (“half-”), Icelandic hálf- (“half-”). More at half.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "half-",
      "name": "en-prefix"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "prefix",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "63 37",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "81 19",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "81 19",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages using catfix",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "47 53",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "63 37",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "78 22",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "77 23",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with German translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "75 25",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Greek translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "77 23",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Icelandic translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "83 17",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Latin translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "80 20",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Russian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "51 49",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Serbo-Croatian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "half or partial; not complete"
      ],
      "id": "en-half--en-prefix-mfjYgLz7",
      "links": [
        [
          "half",
          "half"
        ],
        [
          "partial",
          "partial"
        ],
        [
          "complete",
          "complete"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "sense": "half",
          "word": "semi-"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "sense": "half",
          "word": "hemi-"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "sense": "half",
          "word": "demi-"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0",
          "sense": "partial",
          "word": "semi-"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0",
          "sense": "partial",
          "word": "demi-"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "morpheme"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "85 15",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "lang_code": "bg",
          "roman": "polu-",
          "sense": "prefix denoting half or partial — see also semi-, hemi-, demi-",
          "word": "полу-"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 15",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "lang_code": "de",
          "sense": "prefix denoting half or partial — see also semi-, hemi-, demi-",
          "word": "halb-"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 15",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "lang_code": "de",
          "sense": "prefix denoting half or partial — see also semi-, hemi-, demi-",
          "word": "Halb-"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 15",
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "lang_code": "el",
          "roman": "imi-",
          "sense": "prefix denoting half or partial — see also semi-, hemi-, demi-",
          "word": "ημι-"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 15",
          "code": "is",
          "lang": "Icelandic",
          "lang_code": "is",
          "sense": "prefix denoting half or partial — see also semi-, hemi-, demi-",
          "word": "hálf-"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 15",
          "code": "la",
          "lang": "Latin",
          "lang_code": "la",
          "sense": "prefix denoting half or partial — see also semi-, hemi-, demi-",
          "word": "sēmi-"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 15",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "lang_code": "ru",
          "roman": "polu-",
          "sense": "prefix denoting half or partial — see also semi-, hemi-, demi-",
          "word": "полу-"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 15",
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "lang_code": "sh",
          "sense": "prefix denoting half or partial — see also semi-, hemi-, demi-",
          "tags": [
            "Cyrillic"
          ],
          "word": "полу-"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "85 15",
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "lang_code": "sh",
          "sense": "prefix denoting half or partial — see also semi-, hemi-, demi-",
          "tags": [
            "Roman"
          ],
          "word": "polu-"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "47 53",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "51 49",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Serbo-Croatian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "0 100",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Family",
          "orig": "en:Family",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Used before brother, sister, uncle, aunt, and so forth, to indicate that the person being identified is related only through one parent, grandparent, and so forth, rather than two."
      ],
      "id": "en-half--en-prefix-dlSx9coC",
      "tags": [
        "morpheme"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "half-"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English prefixes",
    "English terms derived from Middle English",
    "English terms derived from Old English",
    "English terms derived from Proto-Germanic",
    "English terms inherited from Middle English",
    "English terms inherited from Old English",
    "English terms inherited from Proto-Germanic",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages using catfix",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
    "Terms with German translations",
    "Terms with Greek translations",
    "Terms with Icelandic translations",
    "Terms with Latin translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations",
    "Terms with Serbo-Croatian translations",
    "en:Family"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "half-"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English half-",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "healf-"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English healf-",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*halba-",
        "t": "half-"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *halba- (“half-”)",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "nl",
        "2": "half-",
        "t": "half-"
      },
      "expansion": "Dutch half- (“half-”)",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "halb-",
        "t": "half-"
      },
      "expansion": "German halb- (“half-”)",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "sv",
        "2": "halv-",
        "t": "half-"
      },
      "expansion": "Swedish halv- (“half-”)",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "is",
        "2": "hálf-",
        "t": "half-"
      },
      "expansion": "Icelandic hálf- (“half-”)",
      "name": "cog"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English half-, from Old English healf-, from Proto-Germanic *halba- (“half-”), from *halbaz (“half”). Cognate with Dutch half- (“half-”), German halb- (“half-”), Swedish halv- (“half-”), Icelandic hálf- (“half-”). More at half.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "half-",
      "name": "en-prefix"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "prefix",
  "senses": [
    {
      "glosses": [
        "half or partial; not complete"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "half",
          "half"
        ],
        [
          "partial",
          "partial"
        ],
        [
          "complete",
          "complete"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "morpheme"
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Used before brother, sister, uncle, aunt, and so forth, to indicate that the person being identified is related only through one parent, grandparent, and so forth, rather than two."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "morpheme"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "sense": "half",
      "word": "semi-"
    },
    {
      "sense": "half",
      "word": "hemi-"
    },
    {
      "sense": "half",
      "word": "demi-"
    },
    {
      "sense": "partial",
      "word": "semi-"
    },
    {
      "sense": "partial",
      "word": "demi-"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "lang_code": "bg",
      "roman": "polu-",
      "sense": "prefix denoting half or partial — see also semi-, hemi-, demi-",
      "word": "полу-"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "sense": "prefix denoting half or partial — see also semi-, hemi-, demi-",
      "word": "halb-"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "sense": "prefix denoting half or partial — see also semi-, hemi-, demi-",
      "word": "Halb-"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "lang_code": "el",
      "roman": "imi-",
      "sense": "prefix denoting half or partial — see also semi-, hemi-, demi-",
      "word": "ημι-"
    },
    {
      "code": "is",
      "lang": "Icelandic",
      "lang_code": "is",
      "sense": "prefix denoting half or partial — see also semi-, hemi-, demi-",
      "word": "hálf-"
    },
    {
      "code": "la",
      "lang": "Latin",
      "lang_code": "la",
      "sense": "prefix denoting half or partial — see also semi-, hemi-, demi-",
      "word": "sēmi-"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "lang_code": "ru",
      "roman": "polu-",
      "sense": "prefix denoting half or partial — see also semi-, hemi-, demi-",
      "word": "полу-"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "lang_code": "sh",
      "sense": "prefix denoting half or partial — see also semi-, hemi-, demi-",
      "tags": [
        "Cyrillic"
      ],
      "word": "полу-"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "lang_code": "sh",
      "sense": "prefix denoting half or partial — see also semi-, hemi-, demi-",
      "tags": [
        "Roman"
      ],
      "word": "polu-"
    }
  ],
  "word": "half-"
}

Download raw JSONL data for half- meaning in English (3.9kB)

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-12-23 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-12-02 using wiktextract (6fdc867 and 9905b1f). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.