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Webster 1913 Edition

Seminary

Sem′i-na-ry

,
Noun.
;
pl.
Seminaries
(#)
.
[L.
seminarium
, fr.
seminarius
belonging to seed, fr.
semon
,
seminis
, seed. See
Seminal
.]
1.
A piece of ground where seed is sown for producing plants for transplantation; a nursery; a seed plat.
[Obs.]
Mortimer.
But if you draw them [seedling] only for the thinning of your
seminary
, prick them into some empty beds.
Evelyn.
2.
Hence, the place or original stock whence anything is brought or produced.
[Obs.]
Woodward.
3.
A place of education, as a scool of a high grade, an academy, college, or university.
4.
Seminal state.
[Obs.]
Sir T. Browne.
5.
Fig.: A seed bed; a source.
[Obs.]
Harvey.
6.
A Roman Catholic priest educated in a foreign seminary; a seminarist.
[Obs.]
Jer. Taylor.

Sem′i-na-ry

,
Adj.
[L.
seminarius
.]
Belonging to seed; seminal.
[R.]

Webster 1828 Edition

Seminary

SEM'INARY

,
Noun.
[L. seminarium, from semen, seed; semino, to sow.]
1. A seed-plant; ground where seed is sown for producing plants for transplantation; a nursery; as, to transplant trees from a seminary.
[In this sense, the word is not used in America; being superseded by nusery.]
2. The place or original stock whence anything is brought.
This stratum, being the seminary or promptuary, furnishing matter for the formation of animal or vegetable bodies- Woodward. [Not in use.]
3. Seminal state. [Not in use.]
4. Source of propagation.
5. A place of education; any school, academy, college or univerlity, in which young persons are instructed in the several branches of learning which may qualify them for future employments. [This is the only signification of the word in the United States, at least as far as my knowledge

Definition 2024

seminary

seminary

English

Noun

seminary ‎(plural seminaries)

  1. A theological school for the training of rabbis, priests, or ministers.
  2. A private residential school for girls.
  3. (Mormonism) A class of religious education for youths ages 14–18 that accompanies normal secular education.
  4. A piece of ground where seed is sown for producing plants for transplantation.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Mortimer to this entry?)
    • Evelyn
      But if you draw them [seedlings] only for the thinning of your seminary, prick them into some empty beds.
  5. (by extension) The place or original stock from which anything is brought or produced.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Woodward to this entry?)
  6. (obsolete) Seminal state or polity.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Sir Thomas Browne to this entry?)
  7. A Roman Catholic priest educated in a foreign seminary; a seminarist.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Jeremy Taylor to this entry?)

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Adjective

seminary ‎(not comparable)

  1. Of or relating to seed; seminal.

Etymology

From Latin sēminārium, from sēmen ‎(“seed”). Compare seminar.

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