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REFERENCE

seminary

n.
US //ˈsɛməˌnɛɹi// UK //sˈɛmɪnəɹi// sem·i·nary
  1. 1 religious school (n.)
    C1 Advanced Formal Religion

    a college where people study to become priests, ministers, or rabbis.

    a theological school or college providing training for candidates for the priesthood, ministry, or rabbinate.

    Example

    After finishing his degree, he entered a seminary to train for the priesthood.

    Example

    The candidate spent four years at the theological seminary, immersing himself in scripture, liturgy, and pastoral care before his ordination.
    • theological college
    • divinity school
  2. 2 historical girls' school (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Archaic

    a private school for young women, common in the 19th century.

    a private school for young women, typically residential; the term was prevalent in the 19th century before 'academy' or 'college' became standard.

    Example

    In the 1800s, many young women from wealthy families attended a local seminary.

    Example

    The novel's protagonist was sent to a prestigious female seminary, where she was expected to acquire the social graces necessary for a favorable marriage.
  3. 3 a source or origin (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Literary

    the place where an idea or a group of people first starts and grows.

    the place or original stock from which anything is brought, produced, or nurtured; a figurative nursery for ideas or movements.

    Example

    The city became a seminary of new political ideas during the revolution.

    Example

    The university was regarded as a seminary of radical thought, producing a generation of scholars who would eventually challenge the established social order.
Origin

From Latin sēminārium, from sēmen (“seed”). Compare seminar. In the ground sense, from Middle English semynair, semynary.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Last updated June 20, 2026