seminary

[ sem-uh-ner-ee ]

noun

, plural sem·i·nar·ies.

1. a special school providing education in theology, religious history, etc., primarily to prepare students for the priesthood, ministry, or rabbinate.
2. a school, especially one of higher grade.
3. a school of secondary or higher level for young women.
4. seminar ( def 1 ).
5. a place of origin and propagation:

   a seminary of discontent.

seminary

/ ˈsɛmɪnərɪ /

noun

1. an academy for the training of priests, rabbis, etc
2. another word for seminar
3. a place where something is grown

Derived Forms

• ˌsemiˈnarial, adjective

Other Words From

• semi·nari·al adjective
• pre·semi·nary adjective noun plural preseminaries

Word History and Origins

Origin of seminary¹

1400–50; late Middle English: seed plot, nursery < Latin sēminārium, equivalent to sēmin- (stem of sēmen ) seed, semen + -ārium -ary

Word History and Origins

Origin of seminary¹

C15: from Latin sēminārium a nursery garden, from sēmen seed

Example Sentences

Gallant was also unhappy at plans to continue to allow Israel’s ultra-Orthodox Jewish seminary students to be exempt from serving in the military.

From BBC

John Tae-yu Kim arrived in the United States in 1990 as a 30-year-old seminary student from South Korea — only to quit his studies in a spell of doubt.

From Los Angeles Times

He studied at a Jesuit seminary before heading to Johns Hopkins University to pursue a degree in medieval French.

From Los Angeles Times

The Israeli Supreme Court ruled in June that the state must begin drafting ultra-Orthodox Jewish seminary students into the army.

From BBC

He then traveled to a seminary in Najaf, Iraq, for religious studies, but two years later he and other Shiite students and clerics were expelled by Saddam Hussein’s government.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• academy
• association
• business
• clinic
• company
• establishment
• foundation
• hospital
• institute
• school
• society
• system
• university