Standard Lemma guide

semi-automatic

adj · noun · 4 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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1

adj

Meaning 1

Partially automatic.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Of a firearm that automatically ejects a shell and loads the next one, but requires the trigger to be squeezed for each shot; autoloading.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A semi-automatic firearm, especially such a pistol.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: engineering, government, military, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, politics, tools, war, weaponry

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A semi-automatic transmission.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: automotive, transport, vehicles

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *sem- Proto-Indo-European *sēmi Latin sēmi-bor. English semi- Proto-Indo-European *h2ewder.? Proto-Indo-European *sóder.? Proto-Indo-European *h2ewder. Ancient Greek αὖ (aû) Ancient Greek τόν (tón)? Ancient Greek αὐτός (autós) Ancient Greek αὐτο- (auto-) Proto-Indo-European *men- Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *mn̥tós Proto-Hellenic *mətós Ancient Greek αὐτόμᾰτος (autómătos) Ancient Greek αὐτόμᾰτον (autómăton)der. Classical Latin automatum New Latin automaticusbor. English automatic English semi-automatic From semi- + automatic.

Across languages

Translations

37 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: semiautomàtic — partially automatic
  • Chinese Mandarin: 半自動 /半自动 (bànzìdòng) — partially automatic
  • Danish: halvautomatisk — partially automatic
  • Finnish: puoliautomaattinen — partially automatic
  • Galician: semiautomático — partially automatic
  • German: halb automatisch — partially automatic
  • German: halbautomatisch — partially automatic
  • Greek: ημιαυτόματος (imiaftómatos) — partially automatic
  • Hungarian: félautomata — partially automatic
  • Italian: semiautomatico — partially automatic
  • Norwegian Bokmål: halvautomatisk — partially automatic
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: halvautomatisk — partially automatic
  • Polish: półautomatyczny — partially automatic
  • Portuguese: semiautomático — partially automatic
  • Romanian: semiautomat — partially automatic
  • Russian: полуавтомати́ческий (poluavtomatíčeskij) — partially automatic
  • Spanish: semiautomático — partially automatic
  • Welsh: lled-awtomatig — partially automatic
  • Catalan: semiautomàtic — of a firearm, loading the next shell but requiring the trigger to be squeezed for each shot
  • Chinese Mandarin: 半自動 /半自动 (bànzìdòng) — of a firearm, loading the next shell but requiring the trigger to be squeezed for each shot
  • Finnish: puoliautomaattinen — of a firearm, loading the next shell but requiring the trigger to be squeezed for each shot
  • Finnish: itselataava — of a firearm, loading the next shell but requiring the trigger to be squeezed for each shot
  • German: halb automatisch — of a firearm, loading the next shell but requiring the trigger to be squeezed for each shot
  • German: halbautomatisch — of a firearm, loading the next shell but requiring the trigger to be squeezed for each shot
  • Greek: ημιαυτόματος (imiaftómatos) — of a firearm, loading the next shell but requiring the trigger to be squeezed for each shot
  • Italian: semiautomatico — of a firearm, loading the next shell but requiring the trigger to be squeezed for each shot
  • Polish: półautomatyczny — of a firearm, loading the next shell but requiring the trigger to be squeezed for each shot
  • Portuguese: semiautomático — of a firearm, loading the next shell but requiring the trigger to be squeezed for each shot
  • Russian: самозарядный (samozarjadnyj) — of a firearm, loading the next shell but requiring the trigger to be squeezed for each shot
  • Ukrainian: самозаря́дний (samozarjádnyj) — of a firearm, loading the next shell but requiring the trigger to be squeezed for each shot
  • German: halb automatische Schusswaffe — semi-automatic firearm
  • German: halbautomatische Schusswaffe — semi-automatic firearm
  • Greek: ημιαυτόματο (imiaftómato) — semi-automatic firearm
  • Polish: broń półautomatyczna — semi-automatic firearm
  • Portuguese: semiautomática — semi-automatic firearm
  • German: Halbautomatik — semi-automatic transmission
  • Polish: półautomatyczna skrzynia biegów — semi-automatic transmission
Real reading context

semi-automatic in complete knowledge articles