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

On the first day of classes, several students shared their excitement and goals for the new semester. —Oc Register, 16 Feb. 2026

For most students, Illinois’ included, civics constitutes a single stand-alone, one-semester class in high school. —Erin Carlson Mast, Chicago Tribune, 16 Feb. 2026

During the last fall semester, Theo Nash, an instructor for the class Great Books 191, accused the student three different times of using AI to write course papers, according to the court document. —Nick Lentz, CBS News, 16 Feb. 2026

The show's third season sees Lucy and Stephen rekindling their relationship in time for the spring semester. —Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 16 Feb. 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