semi
- 01 B1 Intermediate
n.a house that is joined to another house on one side.
n.a semi-detached house, sharing one common wall with an adjacent property.
Simple“They live in a quiet semi at the end of the street.”
In context“The developer converted the Victorian semi into two separate apartments, though the shared wall required significant soundproofing.”
UsageCommonly used in British and Australian English to describe residential property.
Synonymssemi detachedAntonyms - 02 B1 Intermediate
n.a very large truck used for carrying goods over long distances.
n.a semi-trailer or tractor-trailer used for heavy haulage.
Simple“The highway was full of semis carrying supplies to the city.”
In context“The driver struggled to manoeuvre the semi through the narrow industrial estate, eventually requiring a spotter to assist with the tight turn.”
UsagePrimarily North American usage; the British equivalent is 'artic'.
Synonymsartictractor trailereighteen wheeler - 03 B1 Intermediate
n.a match or race that comes just before the final.
n.a semi-final round in a knockout competition.
Simple“Our team won the semi and will play for the trophy on Sunday.”
In context“After a gruelling semi that went into extra time, the players had only three days to recover before the championship match.”
Synonymssemi finalAntonyms - 04 C1 Advanced
n.companies that make computer chips.
n.shorthand for semiconductor companies or their stocks.
Simple“Investors are buying semis because of the high demand for AI chips.”
In context“The portfolio manager increased exposure to the semis, betting that the supply chain constraints would ease by the third quarter.”
Synonymssemiconductorchipmaker - 05 C1 Advanced
n.a gun that fires one bullet each time you pull the trigger.
n.a semiautomatic firearm.
Simple“The police found a semi hidden in the back of the car.”
In context“The legislation specifically targets the sale of high-capacity semis to unlicensed individuals.”
SynonymssemiautomaticAntonyms - 06 B2 Upper Intermediate
adv.partly or somewhat.
adv.to some extent; partially.
Simple“I was only semi-conscious when the alarm went off this morning.”
In context“The project was only semi-successful, as it met the technical requirements but failed to gain traction with the target audience.”
UsageUsually functions as a prefix, but used as a standalone adverb in very casual speech.
Antonyms
The prefix semi- (from Latin) used as a noun.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.