semester
- 01 B1 Intermediate
half of a school or university year, usually lasting about 15 to 18 weeks.
one of the two primary divisions of an academic year, typically designated as the fall and spring semesters.
Simple“I am taking a difficult history course during the spring semester.”
In context“The university administration decided to implement a revised grading policy starting from the autumn semester to better accommodate international students.”
UsageCommonly used with 'fall', 'spring', 'autumn', or 'winter' to specify the time of year.
- 02 C2 Proficiency
a period of six months.
a duration of six months, derived from the Latin roots for 'six' and 'month'.
Simple“The contract was renewed for another semester of six months.”
In context“The fiscal projections were calculated based on a single semester, though the board requested a full annual review for the final report.”
Teacher's tipThis general sense of 'six months' is rare in modern conversation; learners will almost always encounter this word in an academic context.
Synonymshalf year
From German Semester, from New Latin sēmestris (“lasting six months”), from sex (“six”) + mēnsis (“month”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.