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 program is structured so that students only have to come to campus eight times per semester, with the balance of their coursework available through remote learning. —Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Oct. 2025

This was early September, during Miller’s second class of the semester teaching a songwriting course at the New School in New York’s Greenwich Village. —Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 9 Oct. 2025

Elon has 879 graduate students this semester, according to Elon News Network. —Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 9 Oct. 2025

The family’s gift will cover a semester of tuition for each student in the class of 2026. —Ciara McCarthy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Oct. 2025

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