# seminary

/ˈsɛməˌnɛɹi/ (US) · /sˈɛmɪnəɹi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/seminary
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. religious school

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

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

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

- After finishing his degree, he entered a seminary to train for the priesthood.
- The candidate spent four years at the theological seminary, immersing himself in scripture, liturgy, and pastoral care before his ordination.

### 2. historical girls' school

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic

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

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

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

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary

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

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

- The city became a seminary of new political ideas during the revolution.
- The university was regarded as a seminary of radical thought, producing a generation of scholars who would eventually challenge the established social order.

## Examples

- He studied theology at the local seminary.
- She spent four years at the seminary preparing for her role in the community church.
- The historic seminary, with its Gothic architecture and quiet courtyards, remains a place of deep intellectual and spiritual formation.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.