полу-

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Russian

Alternative forms

  • пол- (pol-)especially in the nominative case

Etymology

Inherited from Old East Slavic полъ (polŭ), from Proto-Slavic *polъ (half).

Pronunciation

Prefix

полу- (polu-)

  1. (highly productive, takes nouns, produces compound nouns) semi-, demi-, half-[1]
    полукру́гpolukrúgsemicircle
    полумра́кpolumráktwilight, semi-darkness, shade
    полуо́стровpoluóstrovpeninsula
    полусо́нpolusónhalf-sleep, twilight sleep
    полупроводни́кpoluprovodníksemiconductor
    полуавтома́тpoluavtomátsemi-automatic device
  2. (highly productive, takes nouns in genitive case, produces compound nouns) semi-, demi-, half- paired with пол- form[2]
    полко́мнатыpolkómnatyhalf a room
    полпроце́нтаpolprocéntahalf a percent
    полведра́polvedráhalf a bucket
    полчаса́polčasáhalf an hour, half-hour
    пол-очка́pol-očkáhalf a point, half-point
    пол-Москвы́pol-Moskvýhalf of Moscow
    полми́раpolmírahalf the world
    полбеды́polbedýhalf the trouble, not that bad
    полсу́токpolsútokhalf a day
    по́лденьpóldenʹnoon, midday
    по́лночьpólnočʹmidnight
    полу́дняpolúdnjanoon, midday
    полу́ночиpolúnočimidnight
  3. (takes adjective, produces compound adjective) semi-, demi-, half-[3]
    полушерстяно́йpolušerstjanójhalf-woollen
    полулега́льныйpolulegálʹnyjsemi-legal
    полуосвещённыйpoluosveščónnyjhalf-lit, semi-illuminated
    полувью́щийсяpoluvʹjúščijsjasemi-curly
  4. (productive, takes verbs, produces compound verbs) incompletely[4]
    полузакры́тьpoluzakrýtʹto half-close, to semi-enclose
    полулежа́тьpoluležátʹto lie reclined, to lie with the upper body raised
    полуоде́тьpoluodétʹto half-dress, to half-clothe
    полусиде́тьpolusidétʹto sit reclined, to lie with the upper body raised
    полуистле́тьpoluistlétʹto half-rot, to semi-rot
    полускры́тьpoluskrýtʹto half-hide, to half-conceal
    полусгиба́тьсяpolusgibátʹsjato be half-bent, to half-bend (passive)
  5. (takes adverb, produces compound adverb) incompletely[5]
    полулёжаpoluljóžain a semi-recumbent position, recumbently
    полуси́дяpolusídjahalf-sitting
    полушутя́polušutjáhalf-jokingly
    полутемно́polutemnóhalf-dark, semi-dark, with insufficient lighting
    полувсерьёзpoluvserʹjózhalf-seriously
    полунауга́дpolunaugádhalf-guessing, half-at-random

Usage notes

  • When the meaning of "half" is still present in a word with this prefix, this prefix almost always receives secondary stress and the /o/ vowel is almost never reduced.

Derived terms

References

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *polъ (half).

Prefix

полу- (Latin spelling polu-)

  1. semi-, demi-

Derived terms