# semester

> English word · Noun · IPA /sɪˈmɛstə/ · frequency rank #6,834

## Definitions
1. Half of a school year (US) or academic year such as autumn or spring semester.
2. A period or term of six months.

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

## Easily confused with
- **smelter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/semester-vs-smelter)

## Common misspellings (12)
`esmester`, `seemster`, `semesetr`, `semesster`, `semesterr`, `semestre`, `semestter`, `semetser`, `semmester`, `semseter`, `smeester`, `ssemester`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/semester