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Multiple Choice

SEMI- denotes which meaning?

SEMI- signals partialness. It means half or partly, so when you see it attached to a word, it indicates that something is not full or complete. For example, a semicircle is half of a circle, and semiannual refers to something happening every half year, i.e., twice a year. That sense of “half” or “partly” is exactly what SEMI- conveys, which is why it’s the best fit. It doesn’t mean whole, outside, or near—other prefixes would be used to express those ideas.

SEMI- signals partialness. It means half or partly, so when you see it attached to a word, it indicates that something is not full or complete. For example, a semicircle is half of a circle, and semiannual refers to something happening every half year, i.e., twice a year. That sense of “half” or “partly” is exactly what SEMI- conveys, which is why it’s the best fit. It doesn’t mean whole, outside, or near—other prefixes would be used to express those ideas.