sem

See also: Appendix:Variations of "sem"

Languages (21)

Translingual • English

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Bahnar • Catalan • Chinese • Chungli Ao • Czech • Dena'ina • Eskayan • Hungarian • Icelandic • Karang • Middle English • Mizo • Old Norse • Old Tupi • Portuguese • Romani • Serbo-Croatian • Slovene • Tok Pisin

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Page categories

Translingual

Etymology

Clipping of English Semitic.

Symbol

sem

1. (international standards) ISO 639-2 & ISO 639-5 language code for Semitic languages.

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sɛm/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛm

Noun

sem (plural sems)

1. Clipping of seminary.
2. Clipping of semester.
3. Clipping of semicolon (Can we add an example for this sense?)

Derived terms

• trisem

Anagrams

• EMS, EMs, Ems, MES, MEs, MSE, SME, ems, mes, mes-

Bahnar

Etymology

From Proto-Bahnaric *ceː₂m, from Proto-Mon-Khmer *cim ~ *ciim ~ *ciəm ~ *caim ~ *cum (“bird”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sɛːm/

Noun

sem

1. bird

Catalan

Alternative forms

• som (Northern, standard)

Verb

sem

1. (Northern, Alghero) first-person plural present indicative of ésser
2. (Northern, Alghero) first-person plural present indicative of ser

Chinese

Etymology

From clipping of English semester.

Pronunciation

• Cantonese (Jyutping): sem⁶

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• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: sem⁶
    • Cantonese Pinyin: sem⁶
    • Guangdong Romanization: sém⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɛːm²²/

Noun

sem

1. (Hong Kong Cantonese, university slang) semester (Classifier: 個／个 c)

   終於完sem喇。／终于完sem喇。 [Hong Kong Cantonese]  ―  zung¹ jyu¹ jyun⁴ sem⁶ laa³. [Jyutping]  ―  The semester has finally ended.

Derived terms

• sem尾
• sem頭 / sem头
• sem頭不努力，sem尾徒傷悲 / sem头不努力，sem尾徒伤悲
• 完sem
• 開sem / 开sem
• 開sem飯 / 开sem饭

References

• English Loanwords in Hong Kong Cantonese

Chungli Ao

Etymology

From Proto-Central Naga *tsham, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *(t)sum.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sɯm˩/, [sɯm˩]

Noun

sem

1. mortar (vessel to crush and mix things)

Derived terms

• semki

Further reading

• Bruhn, Daniel Wayne (2014), A Phonological Reconstruction of Proto-Central Naga‎^[1], Berkeley: University of California, pages 71, 221

Czech

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *ḱe

Proto-Indo-European *ís

Proto-Indo-European *ḱís

Proto-Balto-Slavic *śís

Proto-Slavic *sь

Proto-Slavic *-mo

Proto-Slavic *sěmo

Old Czech sěmo / sěm

Czech sem

Inherited from Old Czech sěmo / sěm, from Proto-Slavic *sěmo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈsɛm]

• Audio:

  (file)

Adverb

sem

1. hither (to here)

Dena'ina

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /səm/

Noun

sem

1. alternative form of sin (“star”)

References

• Kari, James (2013), Denaʼina Topical Dictionary, Revised Edition, Alaska Native Language Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks, page 150

Eskayan

Numeral

sem

1. nine

Hungarian

Alternative forms

• se

Etymology

Blend of is (“also, even”) +‎ nem (“no, not”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈʃɛm]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛm

Conjunction

sem (clitic)

1. …, neither (or not…, either)

   Julit sem láttam. ― I didn’t see Juli, either. [aside from not having seen another person]

   Én sem láttam Julit. ― I didn’t see Juli, either. [aside from other people who haven't seen her]

2. not even

   Meg sem próbálta. ― S/he didn’t even try it.

Conjunction

sem (paired)

1. neither… nor…

   Sem te, sem ő nem jöhettek velem. ― Neither you nor s/he can come with me.

Usage notes

The word sem and nincs, nincsen (“it/there isn't”) are contracted into the forms sincs, sincsen (“it/there isn't, either”).

Derived terms

• semleges

Compound words

• hogysem
• korántsem
• mégsem
• mintsem
• semmi
• semmikor
• semmilyen
• senki
• sohasem
• sosem

Expressions

• a füle botját sem mozdítja
• ennek a fele sem tréfa
• néma gyereknek az anyja sem érti a szavát
• szóra sem érdemes

See also

• koránt (used in the phrases korántsem, koránt sincs)

Further reading

• sem in Géza Bárczi, László Országh, et al., editors, A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára [The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language] (ÉrtSz.), Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN.

Icelandic

Etymology 1

From Old Norse sem (“as, like”), possibly from Proto-Germanic *samaz (“same, alike”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [sɛm] (when unstressed)
• IPA^(key): [ˈsɛːm] (when stressed)

  Rhymes: -ɛːm

Conjunction

sem

1. (with a noun phrase) as, like

   Hann var sem guð meðal manna.

   He was like a god amongst men.

   Hár hennar var hvítt sem snjór.

   Her hair was white as snow.

   Hann er sem nýr.

   He is as [good as] new.

   Vista sem…

   Save as…

2. (with a clause) like, as if

   Svo virðist sem sjúkdómurinn sé arfgengur

   It seems as though the disease is hereditary.

3. (relative, with a clause) who, which, that

   Þetta er maðurinn sem ég hitti í gær.

   That’s the man that I met yesterday.

   Þetta er konan sem barði mig.

   That’s the woman who hit me.

Synonyms

• (as, like, as if): eins og
• (which, that): er

Derived terms

• ekki er allt gull sem glóir
• láta sem vind um eyru þjóta
• samt sem áður
• sem allra best
• sem og
• sem sé, sem sagt
• þar sem (þars)
• því meira sem

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈsɛːm]

Verb

sem (weak)

1. first-person singular present indicative of semja
2. second-person singular imperative of semja

Karang

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sém/

Noun

sem

1. blood

References

• Robert Ulfers, Dictionnaire Karang- Français. (2007).

Middle English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sɛ̝ːm/
• Rhymes: -ɛːm

Etymology 1

Inherited from Old English sēam (“seam”), from Proto-West Germanic *saum, from Proto-Germanic *saumaz. The "nail" sense is a semantic loan from Old Norse saumr.

Alternative forms

• ceem, ceme, seem, seme, seyme

Noun

sem (plural semes)

1. (sewing) A seam (in fabric).
2. A depression or indentation:
   1. A furrow or trench; a depression in the ground.
   2. A seam (scar or cicatrix).
   3. A seam (suture or stitching).
   4. (anatomy) A bodily depression or furrow.
3. (construction) Clinching nails.

Derived terms

• semles

Related terms

• semestere

Descendants

• English: seam
• Middle Scots: seme
  • Scots: seam

References

• “sēm(e, n.(1).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
• “sēm(e, n.(3).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Etymology 2

Inherited from Old English sēam, from Proto-West Germanic *saum (“load”), from Late Latin sauma, from Latin sagma, from Ancient Greek σάγμα (ságma).

Alternative forms

• ceme, seem, seme
• sæm (Early Middle English)

Noun

sem (plural semes)

1. A load for a pack-horse.
2. A seam (unit of weight or volume)
   • c. 1370, [William Langland], “[Passus 3]”, in Piers Plowman (La, A-text), Shropshire, published c. 1400, folio 114, recto; republished as Hale 150, London: Lincoln’s Inn Rare Books and Manuscripts Online, 4 April 2023:

     I schal asoıle þe mẏ seolf foꝛ a seem of whete / And eke beon þẏ baudekẏn ⁊ beore wel thẏn ernde / Among clerkes ⁊ knẏȝtıs concıence to felle.

     I'll absolve you for a seam of wheat, / and become your procurer, carrying carefully your messaging / between clerics and knights to overthrow Conscience.

Related terms

• semen

Descendants

• English: seam (historical)

References

• “sēm(e, n.(2).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Mizo

Etymology

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *sem.

Verb

sem

1. to divide
2. to share, distribute

Further reading

• Lorrain, J. Herbert (1940), “sem”, in Dictionary of the Lushai language, Calcutta: Asiatic Society

Old Norse

Etymology 1

Possibly from or otherwise related to Proto-Germanic *samaz (“same, alike”).

Alternative forms

• som, sum — late Old Norse

Conjunction

sem

1. as, the same, like

Descendants

• Icelandic: sem
• Faroese: sum (from East Nordic)
• Norwegian Nynorsk: (dialectal) sem, se
• Old Swedish: sum, som
  • Swedish: som
  • → Middle Norwegian: sum
    • Norwegian Nynorsk: som, sum; (dialectal) søm, so
• Danish: som
  • Norwegian Bokmål: som

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

sem

1. inflection of semja:
   1. first-person singular active present indicative
   2. second-person singular active imperative

Further reading

• Zoëga, Geir T. (1910), “sem”, in A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, Oxford: Clarendon Press; also available at the Internet Archive

Old Tupi

Alternative forms

• sẽ

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Tupi-Guarani *t͡ʃem, from Proto-Tupian *t͡ʃem.

Cognate with Paraguayan Guarani sẽ, Sateré-Mawé wẽẽ-tẽp.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsɛ̃m/
• Rhymes: -em

Verb

sem (first-person singular active indicative asem, first-person singular negative active indicative n'asemi, noun sema) (intransitive)

1. to exit; to leave; to get out

   Asem 'y suí.

   I got out of the water.

2. to move (to change residence)

   Synonym: îakasó

3. (of a celestial body) to rise
4. (rare) to be born [with suí ‘from someone’]

   Synonym: 'ar

   • 1586, André Thevet, “Du Goulphre ou Riviere de Ganabara”, in Le Grand Insulaire et Pilotage d’André Thevet [The Great Islander and Piloting of André Thevet], page 253:

     aëoſen Maria Vurgon ſuy

     [A'e osem Maria Virgem suí.]

     He was born from Mary Virgin.

   • 1586, André Thevet, “Du Goulphre ou Riviere de Ganabara”, in Le Grand Insulaire et Pilotage d’André Thevet [The Great Islander and Piloting of André Thevet], page 253:

     aë aué de ſuy oſenuaë puera Jeſus

     [A'e abé nde suí osẽba'epûera Jesus.]

     He also who was born from you, Jesus.

Conjugation

    Conjugation of sem (intransitive, S-starting, consonant ending) (See Appendix:Old Tupi verbs)

Note: not all forms are attested, most of the table is reconstructed based on known patterns.

Causative	mosem
Causative-comitative	erosem
Deverbals
-ba'e	osemyba'e
-sab(a)	sembaba
-sar(a)	sembara
	Singular		Singular and Plural	Plural
	1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person exclusive	1st person inclusive	2nd person
Verbal forms
Active
Indicative	asem	eresem	osem	orosem	îasem	pesem
Permissive	t'asem	t'eresem	t'osem	t'orosem	t'îasem	ta pesem
Imperative		esem				pesem
Negative indicative	n'asemi	n'eresemi	n'osemi	n'orosemi	n'îasemi	na pesemi
Negative permissive	t'asem umẽ	t'eresem umẽ	t'osem umẽ	t'orosem umẽ	t'îasem umẽ	ta pesem umẽ
Negative imperative		esem umẽ				pesem umẽ
Gerund
Affirmative	gûixema	esema	osema	orosema	îasema	pesema
Negative	gûixeme'yma	eseme'yma	oseme'yma	oroseme'yma	îaseme'yma	peseme'yma
Nominal forms
Infinitive
Affirmative	sema
Negative	seme'yma
Circumstantial
Affirmative	xe semi		i xemi	oré semi	îandé semi
Negative	xe seme'ymi		i xeme'ymi	oré seme'ymi	îandé seme'ymi

Descendants

• Nheengatu: semu, sému, sema (obsolete)

References

• Navarro, Eduardo de Almeida (2013), “sem”, in Dicionário de tupi antigo: a língua indígena clássica do Brasil [Dictionary of Old Tupi: The Classical Indigenous Language of Brazil ] (overall work in Portuguese), São Paulo: Global, →ISBN, page 441, column 1

Portuguese

Etymology

From Old Galician-Portuguese sen, from Latin sine, from Proto-Indo-European *sene.

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈsẽj̃/ [ˈsẽɪ̯̃]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈsɐ̃j̃/

• Audio (Portugal (Porto)):

  (file)

• Audio (Portugal):

  (file)

• Audio (Brazil):

  (file)

• Audio (Brazil):

  (file)

• Rhymes: (Brazil) -ẽj̃, (Portugal) -ɐ̃j̃
• Homophone: cem
• Hyphenation: sem

Preposition

sem

2. -less; without (not having, containing, characteristic of, etc.)

   Antonym: com

   um livro sem capa ― a book without a cover

   casa sem janelas ― windowless house

4. (followed by infinitive) without (not doing or not having done something)

   Ele gosta de comer tudo sem dividir.

   He likes to eat everything without sharing.

   Ele atirou sem avisar ninguém.

   He shot without warning anyone.

5. no (indicates lack of possibility or allowance)

   Sem fotos.

   No photos.

   Sem tocar!

   No touching!

Quotations

For quotations using this term, see Citations:sem.

Synonyms

• (not having): desprovido de, falto de

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “not doing or having done something”): use gerund (-ando, -endo, -indo)

Derived terms

• sem mais nem menos
• sem que
• sem-noção

Descendants

• → Ambonese Malay: seng
• Macanese: sim

Further reading

• “sem”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “sem”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Romani

Verb

sem

1. first-person singular present indicative of si

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology 1

This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sem/

Preposition

sem (Cyrillic spelling сем)

1. (chiefly Serbia) except, apart from, besides

Etymology 2

From Ancient Greek σῆμα (sêma).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sêːm/

Noun

sȇm m animacy unspecified (Cyrillic spelling се̑м)

1. (semantics) the smallest unit of meaning

Further reading

• https://staznaci.com/sem
• “sem”, in Hrvatski jezični portal [Croatian language portal] (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2026

Slovene

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sə́m/

Etymology 1

From Proto-Slavic *sěmo. First attested in the 16th century.

Adverb

sem

1. hither, over here (to here)

Etymology 2

From Proto-Slavic *esmь.

Verb

sə̏m

1. first-person singular present of bíti

Further reading

• “sem”, in Slovarji Inštituta za slovenski jezik Frana Ramovša ZRC SAZU (in Slovene), 2014–2026

Tok Pisin

Etymology

From English same.

Adjective

sem

1. same
   • 1989, Buk Baibel long Tok Pisin, Port Moresby: Bible Society of Papua New Guinea, Jenesis 2:25:

     Tasol tupela i no sem.

     →New International Version translation