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half-. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
half-, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
half- in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
half- you have here. The definition of the word
half- will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
half-, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology
From Middle English half-, from Old English healf-, from Proto-Germanic *halba- (“half-”), from *halbaz (“half”). Cognate with Dutch half- (“half-”), German halb- (“half-”), Swedish halv- (“half-”), Icelandic hálf- (“half-”). More at half.
Prefix
half-
- half or partial; not complete
- Used before brother, sister, uncle, aunt, and so forth, to indicate that the person being identified is related only through one parent, grandparent, and so forth, rather than two.
Usage notes
Can be used to describe an exact half like in half-filled or half-price but can also be used in a more loose sense, for example half-awake/half-asleep (awake but not fully alert) or half-decent (somewhat less than decent).
Derived terms
See also