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seminary

noun sem·i·nary \ ˈse-mə-ˌner-ē \

Definition of seminary

plural seminaries
1 :an environment in which something originates and from which it is propagated
  • a seminary of vice and crime
2 a :an institution of secondary or higher education
b :an institution for the training of candidates for the priesthood, ministry, or rabbinate

See seminary defined for English-language learners

See seminary defined for kids

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Examples of seminary in a Sentence

  1. a seminary exclusively for women

  2. some claimed that orphanages were seminaries of sin and petty crime, turning out juvenile delinquents by the score

Recent Examples of seminary from the Web

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'seminary.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of seminary

Middle English, seedbed, nursery, from Latin seminarium, from semin-, semen seed

seminary Synonyms

Synonyms
academe, academy, school
Related Words
boarding school, prep, preparatory school, prep school; common school, elementary school, grammar school, high school, junior high school, kindergarten, middle school, primary school, public school, secondary school, senior high school, trade school, training school; charter school, magnet school, minischool; madrassa (or madrasa also madrassah or madrasah), Sunday school, yeshiva (also yeshivah)

SEMINARY Defined for English Language Learners

seminary

noun

Definition of seminary for English Language Learners

  • : a school for training religious leaders (such as priests, ministers, and rabbis)

SEMINARY Defined for Kids

seminary

noun sem·i·nary \ ˈse-mə-ˌner-ē \

Definition of seminary for Students

plural seminaries
1 :a private school at or above the high school level
2 :a school for the training of priests, ministers, or rabbis

Learn More about seminary

  1. See words that rhyme with seminary Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for seminary Spanish Central: Translation of seminary Nglish: Translation of seminary for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of seminary for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about seminary

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Examples: seminary in a Sentence