Standard Lemma guide

half-

prefix · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

prefix

Meaning 1

half or partial; not complete

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

prefix

Meaning 2

Used before brother, sister, uncle, aunt, and so forth, to indicate that the person being identified is related only through one parent, grandparent, and so forth, rather than two.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English half-, from Old English healf-, from Proto-Germanic *halba- (“half-”), from *halbaz (“half”). Cognate with Dutch half- (“half-”), German halb- (“half-”), Swedish halv- (“half-”), Icelandic hálf- (“half-”). More at half.

Across languages

Translations

10 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: полу- (polu-) — prefix denoting half or partial — see also semi-, hemi-, demi-
  • German: halb- — prefix denoting half or partial — see also semi-, hemi-, demi-
  • German: Halb- — prefix denoting half or partial — see also semi-, hemi-, demi-
  • Greek: ημι- (imi-) — prefix denoting half or partial — see also semi-, hemi-, demi-
  • Icelandic: hálf- — prefix denoting half or partial — see also semi-, hemi-, demi-
  • Latin: sēmi- — prefix denoting half or partial — see also semi-, hemi-, demi-
  • Polish: pół- — prefix denoting half or partial — see also semi-, hemi-, demi-
  • Russian: полу- (polu-) — prefix denoting half or partial — see also semi-, hemi-, demi-
  • Serbo-Croatian: полу- — prefix denoting half or partial — see also semi-, hemi-, demi-
  • Serbo-Croatian: polu- — prefix denoting half or partial — see also semi-, hemi-, demi-