"semi" meaning in English

See semi in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /ˈsɛmi/ [Received-Pronunciation], /ˈsɛmi/ [US], /ˈsɛmaɪ/ [US] Audio: en-au-semi.ogg , LL-Q1860 (eng)-I learned some phrases-semi.wav Forms: semis [plural]
Rhymes: -ɛmi Etymology: The prefix semi- (from Latin) used as a noun. Etymology templates: {{root|en|ine-pro|*sem-}} Head templates: {{en-noun}} semi (plural semis)
  1. (UK, Ireland, Australia, Canada, informal) A semi-detached house. Tags: Australia, Canada, Ireland, UK, informal Categories (topical): Housing
    Sense id: en-semi-en-noun-HuxjvF6N Disambiguation of Housing: 51 44 1 3 2 Categories (other): Australian English, British English, Canadian English, Irish English, English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 13 entries, Pages with entries, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with Portuguese translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 44 48 3 3 2 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 49 46 2 2 2 Disambiguation of Pages with 13 entries: 27 25 1 1 1 13 3 1 20 5 1 1 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 25 23 1 1 1 18 2 1 24 3 0 0 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 48 43 2 2 6 Disambiguation of Terms with Portuguese translations: 48 43 2 2 5
  2. (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, US) A semi-trailer; a tractor-trailer; an eighteen-wheeler; an artic. Tags: Australia, Canada, New-Zealand, US Categories (topical): Housing
    Sense id: en-semi-en-noun-2eYQuGI3 Disambiguation of Housing: 51 44 1 3 2 Categories (other): American English, Australian English, Canadian English, New Zealand English, English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 13 entries, Pages with entries, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with Portuguese translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 44 48 3 3 2 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 49 46 2 2 2 Disambiguation of Pages with 13 entries: 27 25 1 1 1 13 3 1 20 5 1 1 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 25 23 1 1 1 18 2 1 24 3 0 0 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 48 43 2 2 6 Disambiguation of Terms with Portuguese translations: 48 43 2 2 5
  3. (informal) A semifinal. Tags: informal
    Sense id: en-semi-en-noun-RAOO7G0r
  4. (slang) A partial erection of the penis. Tags: slang
    Sense id: en-semi-en-noun-5i3pWm-E
  5. (slang) A semiautomatic firearm. Tags: slang
    Sense id: en-semi-en-noun-Fr8sou4P
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Translations (semi-erection): puolierektio (Finnish), semi (Finnish), meia-bomba (Portuguese)
Disambiguation of 'semi-erection': 34 32 12 21 1

Inflected forms

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*sem-"
      },
      "expansion": "",
      "name": "root"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "The prefix semi- (from Latin) used as a noun.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "semis",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "semi (plural semis)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "hyphenation": [
    "semi"
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Australian English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "British English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Canadian English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Irish English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "44 48 3 3 2",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "49 46 2 2 2",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "27 25 1 1 1 13 3 1 20 5 1 1",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 13 entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "25 23 1 1 1 18 2 1 24 3 0 0",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "48 43 2 2 6",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Finnish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "48 43 2 2 5",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Portuguese translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "51 44 1 3 2",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Housing",
          "orig": "en:Housing",
          "parents": [
            "Buildings",
            "Home",
            "Buildings and structures",
            "Society",
            "Architecture",
            "All topics",
            "Applied sciences",
            "Art",
            "Fundamental",
            "Sciences",
            "Culture"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "2008, Elliott Placks, quoted in Helen Isbister, Morris Bryant, Property, Career FAQs, Australia, page 40,\nI′m selling two side-by-side semis that are currently under construction, a waterfront apartment and a house in Rose Bay."
        },
        {
          "ref": "2008, Barry Goodchild, Homes, Cities and Neighbourhoods: Planning and the Residential Landscapes of Modern Britain, page 52:",
          "text": "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.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2012, Tim Moore, You Are Awful (But I Like You): Travels Around Unloved Britain, Vintage, →ISBN, page 150:",
          "text": "The roads were lined with cramped little semis and 1960s bungalows: Britain's cheapest houses, in their flimsy, pebble-dashed glory.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A semi-detached house."
      ],
      "id": "en-semi-en-noun-HuxjvF6N",
      "links": [
        [
          "semi-detached",
          "semi-detached"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(UK, Ireland, Australia, Canada, informal) A semi-detached house."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Australia",
        "Canada",
        "Ireland",
        "UK",
        "informal"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "American English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Australian English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Canadian English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "New Zealand English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "44 48 3 3 2",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "49 46 2 2 2",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "27 25 1 1 1 13 3 1 20 5 1 1",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 13 entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "25 23 1 1 1 18 2 1 24 3 0 0",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "48 43 2 2 6",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Finnish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "48 43 2 2 5",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Portuguese translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "51 44 1 3 2",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Housing",
          "orig": "en:Housing",
          "parents": [
            "Buildings",
            "Home",
            "Buildings and structures",
            "Society",
            "Architecture",
            "All topics",
            "Applied sciences",
            "Art",
            "Fundamental",
            "Sciences",
            "Culture"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1967, Tommy Faile, “Phantom 309”, performed by Red Sovine:",
          "text": "I was hungry an' freezin' an' done caught a chill / When the lights of a big semi topped the hill",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2011, Eamonn Duff, Schapelle Corby: The Untold Story Behind Her Ill-Fated Drug Run, Australia: Allen & Unwin, unnumbered page:",
          "text": "All night we couldn′t hear each other speak because of the sound of semis changing gear to get over the hill.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A semi-trailer; a tractor-trailer; an eighteen-wheeler; an artic."
      ],
      "id": "en-semi-en-noun-2eYQuGI3",
      "links": [
        [
          "semi-trailer",
          "semi-trailer"
        ],
        [
          "tractor-trailer",
          "tractor-trailer"
        ],
        [
          "eighteen-wheeler",
          "eighteen-wheeler"
        ],
        [
          "artic",
          "artic"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(Australia, Canada, New Zealand, US) A semi-trailer; a tractor-trailer; an eighteen-wheeler; an artic."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Australia",
        "Canada",
        "New-Zealand",
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "glosses": [
        "A semifinal."
      ],
      "id": "en-semi-en-noun-RAOO7G0r",
      "links": [
        [
          "semifinal",
          "semifinal"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(informal) A semifinal."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "informal"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2010, Mickey Erlach, Video Boys, page 158:",
          "text": "The twink got a semi just from that look.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A partial erection of the penis."
      ],
      "id": "en-semi-en-noun-5i3pWm-E",
      "links": [
        [
          "erection",
          "erection"
        ],
        [
          "penis",
          "penis"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(slang) A partial erection of the penis."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "slang"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2023 April 28, “Got Dat Muneh” (track 10, 0:48 from the start), in Summrs (lyrics), GHOST:",
          "text": "See these niggas through the reticle sight up on my semi\n[…]\nFor niggas plottin', I might blow it at your fitted\nGet your bitch-ass slimed out, it ain't no kiddin'\nAin't no kiddin', got that semi",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A semiautomatic firearm."
      ],
      "id": "en-semi-en-noun-Fr8sou4P",
      "links": [
        [
          "semiautomatic",
          "semiautomatic"
        ],
        [
          "firearm",
          "firearm"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(slang) A semiautomatic firearm."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "slang"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈsɛmi/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈsɛmi/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈsɛmaɪ/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-au-semi.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/1/11/En-au-semi.ogg/En-au-semi.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/11/En-au-semi.ogg"
    },
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    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɛmi"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "_dis1": "34 32 12 21 1",
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "semi-erection",
      "word": "puolierektio"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "34 32 12 21 1",
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "semi-erection",
      "word": "semi"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "34 32 12 21 1",
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "semi-erection",
      "word": "meia-bomba"
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "semi"
  ],
  "word": "semi"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European",
    "English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *sem-",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 13 entries",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Rhymes:English/ɛmi",
    "Rhymes:English/ɛmi/2 syllables",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with Portuguese translations",
    "en:Housing"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*sem-"
      },
      "expansion": "",
      "name": "root"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "The prefix semi- (from Latin) used as a noun.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "semis",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "semi (plural semis)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "hyphenation": [
    "semi"
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "Australian English",
        "British English",
        "Canadian English",
        "English informal terms",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "Irish English"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "2008, Elliott Placks, quoted in Helen Isbister, Morris Bryant, Property, Career FAQs, Australia, page 40,\nI′m selling two side-by-side semis that are currently under construction, a waterfront apartment and a house in Rose Bay."
        },
        {
          "ref": "2008, Barry Goodchild, Homes, Cities and Neighbourhoods: Planning and the Residential Landscapes of Modern Britain, page 52:",
          "text": "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.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2012, Tim Moore, You Are Awful (But I Like You): Travels Around Unloved Britain, Vintage, →ISBN, page 150:",
          "text": "The roads were lined with cramped little semis and 1960s bungalows: Britain's cheapest houses, in their flimsy, pebble-dashed glory.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A semi-detached house."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "semi-detached",
          "semi-detached"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(UK, Ireland, Australia, Canada, informal) A semi-detached house."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Australia",
        "Canada",
        "Ireland",
        "UK",
        "informal"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "American English",
        "Australian English",
        "Canadian English",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "New Zealand English"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1967, Tommy Faile, “Phantom 309”, performed by Red Sovine:",
          "text": "I was hungry an' freezin' an' done caught a chill / When the lights of a big semi topped the hill",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2011, Eamonn Duff, Schapelle Corby: The Untold Story Behind Her Ill-Fated Drug Run, Australia: Allen & Unwin, unnumbered page:",
          "text": "All night we couldn′t hear each other speak because of the sound of semis changing gear to get over the hill.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A semi-trailer; a tractor-trailer; an eighteen-wheeler; an artic."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "semi-trailer",
          "semi-trailer"
        ],
        [
          "tractor-trailer",
          "tractor-trailer"
        ],
        [
          "eighteen-wheeler",
          "eighteen-wheeler"
        ],
        [
          "artic",
          "artic"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(Australia, Canada, New Zealand, US) A semi-trailer; a tractor-trailer; an eighteen-wheeler; an artic."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Australia",
        "Canada",
        "New-Zealand",
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English informal terms"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A semifinal."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "semifinal",
          "semifinal"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(informal) A semifinal."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "informal"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English slang",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "Quotation templates to be cleaned"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2010, Mickey Erlach, Video Boys, page 158:",
          "text": "The twink got a semi just from that look.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A partial erection of the penis."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "erection",
          "erection"
        ],
        [
          "penis",
          "penis"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(slang) A partial erection of the penis."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "slang"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English slang",
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2023 April 28, “Got Dat Muneh” (track 10, 0:48 from the start), in Summrs (lyrics), GHOST:",
          "text": "See these niggas through the reticle sight up on my semi\n[…]\nFor niggas plottin', I might blow it at your fitted\nGet your bitch-ass slimed out, it ain't no kiddin'\nAin't no kiddin', got that semi",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A semiautomatic firearm."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "semiautomatic",
          "semiautomatic"
        ],
        [
          "firearm",
          "firearm"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(slang) A semiautomatic firearm."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "slang"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈsɛmi/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈsɛmi/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈsɛmaɪ/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-au-semi.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/1/11/En-au-semi.ogg/En-au-semi.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/11/En-au-semi.ogg"
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-I learned some phrases-semi.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/7/7f/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-I_learned_some_phrases-semi.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-I_learned_some_phrases-semi.wav.mp3",
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    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɛmi"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "semi-erection",
      "word": "puolierektio"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "semi-erection",
      "word": "semi"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "semi-erection",
      "word": "meia-bomba"
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "semi"
  ],
  "word": "semi"
}

Download raw JSONL data for semi meaning in English (5.4kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-03-26 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-03-21 using wiktextract (fef8596 and 633533e). 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.