semicircle

noun

semi·​cir·​cle ˈse-mē-ˌsər-kəl 

ˈse-ˌmī-,

-mi-

1

: a half of a circle

2

: an object or arrangement of objects in the form of a half circle

semicircular

ˌse-mē-ˈsər-kyə-lər 

ˌse-ˌmī-

-mi-

adjective

Examples of semicircle in a Sentence

The children sat in a semicircle.

The houses are built in a semicircle.

Recent Examples on the Web

With a hundred or so onlookers seated in chairs positioned in a semicircle in the library lobby, the contestants took turns busting rhymes. —Jeff Pearlman, Rolling Stone, 17 Oct. 2025

Elsewhere a young pirate boy grins so broadly that the bottom half of his face is enveloped in a perfect semicircle of teeth. —Maya Phillips, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025

Black Rock City is laid out in a semicircle, with streets named alphabetically from A to J and sections named for times. —Siobhan McAndrew, USA Today, 19 Sep. 2025

Many wineries build a semicircle of rocks around the hoyos, each with its own style, to protect the vines from the Atlantic Ocean trade winds. —Lauren David, Travel + Leisure, 16 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin semicirculus, from semi- + circulus circle

First Known Use

1526, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for semicircle

• encircle
• tubercle
• cercle
• circle
• preopercle

Kids Definition

semicircle

noun

semi·​cir·​cle ˈsem-i-ˌsər-kəl 

1

: half of a circle

2

: an object or arrangement of objects in the form of a half circle

semicircular

ˌsem-i-ˈsər-kyə-lər 

adjective