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

Students from the program graduate with nine college credit hours and have the ability to enroll at Arkansas Baptist for the Spring 2026 semester, according to a news release. —Arkansas Online, 18 Dec. 2025

Complicating the ongoing search is the fact that many students, faculty and staff left campus after the school canceled the remaining week of its fall semester. —Nicole Acevedo, NBC news, 17 Dec. 2025

Ella Cook was a sophomore and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov was in his very first semester, Paxson said. —Michael Loria, USA Today, 16 Dec. 2025

The freshman’s roommate, Khimari Manns, told CNN affiliate WBZ Umorzokov reached out as soon as roommate assignments were made as the young man began his first semester of college. —Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 16 Dec. 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