semester

noun

se·​mes·​ter sə-ˈme-stər 

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

sə-ˈme-strəl 

adjective

or semestrial

sə-ˈme-strē-əl 

Examples of semester in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The teenager was enrolled in a virtual learning academy at the San Diego Unified School District and was on track to graduate high school this semester, according to district spokesperson James Canning. —Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 19 May 2026

Eight weeks into a semester, something unexpected happened in my business analytics practicum. —Shannon McKeen, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026

On top of expanding its selection to four films, the second edition of Screen Brasil will be divided into two application rounds, with the first taking place in the second semester of 2026 and the second in the first semester of 2027. —Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 18 May 2026

Students who are part of the program rehearse every Saturday in the fall and spring semesters. —Adam Harrington, CBS News, 17 May 2026

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

Phrases Containing semester

• semester hour

Rhymes for semester

• ancestor
• arrester
• digester
• investor
• protester
• requester
• sequester
• silvester
• trimester
• ester
• esther
• fester

Kids Definition

semester

noun

se·​mes·​ter sə-ˈmes-tər 

: either of two terms of about 18 weeks each that make up a school year