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semester

n.
US //səˈmɛstɝ// UK //səmˈɛstɐ// se·mes·ter
  1. 1 academic term (n.)
    B1 Intermediate American English General-service

    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.

    Example

    I am taking a difficult history course during the spring semester.

    Example

    The university administration decided to implement a revised grading policy starting from the autumn semester to better accommodate international students.

    Usage

    Commonly used with 'fall', 'spring', 'autumn', or 'winter' to specify the time of year.
  2. 2 six-month period (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Formal Technical

    a period of six months.

    a duration of six months, derived from the Latin roots for 'six' and 'month'.

    Example

    The contract was renewed for another semester of six months.

    Example

    The fiscal projections were calculated based on a single semester, though the board requested a full annual review for the final report.

    Teacher's tip

    This general sense of 'six months' is rare in modern conversation; learners will almost always encounter this word in an academic context.
    • half year
Origin

From German Semester, from New Latin sēmestris (“lasting six months”), from sex (“six”) + mēnsis (“month”).

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