Semicircle
/ˈsɛmiˌsɜːr.kəl/noun
Half of a circle.
Did you know?The prefix *semi-* comes from Latin *semi-* meaning “half,” and it shows up in many words that quietly encode division, limitation, or incompleteness.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
semicirculus
“half-circle”
Late Latin
Latin
semi- + circulus
“half + circle”
Middle French
French
demi-cercle
“half-circle”
16th Century
English
semicircle
“half of a circle”
Modern English
English
semicircle
“half of a circle”
Explore more surprising origins