quasi

¹ American  

[kwey-zahy, -sahy, kwah-see, -zee] / ˈkweɪ zaɪ, -saɪ, ˈkwɑ si, -zi /

adjective

1. resembling; seeming; virtual.

   a quasi member.

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quasi- ² American  

1. a combining form meaning “resembling,” “having some, but not all of the features of,” used in the formation of compound words.

   quasi-definition; quasi-monopoly; quasi-official; quasi-scientific.

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quasi- ¹ British  

combining form

1. almost but not really; seemingly

   a quasi-religious cult

2. resembling but not actually being; so-called

   a quasi-scholar

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quasi ² British  

/ -saɪ, ˈkwɑːzɪ, ˈkweɪzaɪ /

adverb

1. as if; as it were

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Etymology

Origin of quasi¹

Independent use of quasi-

Origin of quasi-²

< Latin quasi as if, as though, equivalent to qua ( m ) as + sī if

Explanation

Use quasi when you want to say something is almost but not quite what it describes. A quasi mathematician can add and subtract adequately, but has trouble figuring out fractions. The adjective quasi is often hyphenated with the word it resembles. Quasi-scientific ideas are ideas that resemble real science, but haven't been backed up with any real evidence. A quasi-religious person may attend church services, but he doesn't take much interest in what's being said. Get the idea? It's a great alternative for "kind of."

Example Sentences

For the first time, astronomers had observed a supernova producing a quasi periodic signal that increased in frequency, forming a "chirp."

From Science Daily • Mar. 11, 2026

That added to a quasi “gold rush” among investors who understandably hungered for a piece of the action.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 3, 2026

Online, touch grass is an oft-repeated quasi insult, a way to tell your opponent they’ve spent too much time scrolling and need to reestablish a relationship with the sublunary.

From Slate • Jun. 20, 2025

Quango stands for quasi autonomous non-governmental organisations, which means they are taxpayer-funded but not directly controlled by central government, and include watchdogs as well as the prison service and the Bank of England.

From BBC • Apr. 28, 2025

The main charge levied against Washington was that he had made himself into a quasi king: “We have given him the powers and prerogatives of a King,” claimed one New York editorial.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis