semis

\sə.mi\

/\sə.mi\/ noun

The verdict

“semis” is a moderately-common French word, ranked #20,280 in French word frequency and used as a noun.

#20,280
frequency rank, French
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Mise en terre des semences ; action de semer.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

semis vs ses
60% similar
semis vs SMS
0% similar
semis vs sis
60% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for semis
PropertyValue
Headwordsemis
LanguageFrench
Part of speechNoun
IPA\sə.mi\
Letters5
Frequency rank#20,280
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “semis” sits in French frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). semis lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The French entry for semis is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as \sə.mi\. Corpus data places it at rank #20,280 in overall French word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for semis, with forms such as "esmis", "seims", and "semiss". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "ses", "SMS", "sis", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

No documented word history exists for this headword, so its spelling is best read as a straightforward mapping from sound to letter. The correct French form is semis, spelled S-E-M-I-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    Mise en terre des semences ; action de semer.
  2. 2
    Plant d’arbrisseaux, de plantes, de fleurs venant de graines.
  3. 3
    Jeunes plants issus de la germination des graines.
  4. 4
    Ornement répandu, motif fréquemment répété.
  5. 5
    Canevas constitué par un ensemble de points répartis de façon irrégulière ou quelconque sur une zone géographique donnée.

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: esmis,seims,semiss,semmis,semsi,smeis,ssemis

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of semis - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

esmis2seims2semiss1semmis1semsi2smeis2ssemis1
Edit distance from "semis"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 French corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "semis"?
"semis" is spelled S-E-M-I-S. The IPA pronunciation is \sə.mi\.
What does "semis" mean?
As a noun, "semis" means: Mise en terre des semences ; action de semer.
What words are commonly confused with "semis"?
"semis" is commonly confused with "ses", "SMS", "sis". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "semis"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "semis" is \sə.mi\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "semis" come from?
"semis" is a French word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “semis”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct French spelling is S-E-M-I-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as \sə.mi\ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “ses” - see the side-by-side comparison. semis vs ses
  • Browse more French words and confusable pairs in the same reference. French words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list