What does "seminary" mean?
A theological school for the training of rabbis, priests, or ministers.
Seminary
/ˈsɛmənɛɹi/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A theological school for the training of rabbis, priests, or ministers.
- Grammar: seminary is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: academy, bible institute, church school, clergy college.
- Useful contrasts: lay, nonreligious college, profane.
- Usage evidence: Sami graduated from the seminary, the top of his class.
How to use "seminary"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "seminary" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "seminary" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "seminary" as the right word for your sentence.
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Compare nearby meanings
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- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "seminary" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "academy" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
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When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A theological school for the training of rabbis, priests, or ministers.
- 2 a private place of education for the young wordnet
- 3 A private residential school for girls.
"Three little maids who, all unwary, Come from a ladies' seminary"
- 4 a theological school for training ministers or priests or rabbis wordnet
- 5 A class of religious education for youths ages 14–18 that accompanies normal secular education. Mormonism
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 A piece of ground where seed is sown for producing plants for transplantation.
"I shall first begin with the Seminary and Nursery, as what is the first Work to be taken care of where you have not the opportunity of buying Trees"
- 7 The place or original stock from which anything is brought or produced. broadly
"Seeing then there is indeed a twofold Seminary or stock in nature, from whence are deriv’d the issues of love and hatred distinctly flowing through the whole masse of created things, and that Gods doing ever is to bring the due likenesses and harmonies of his workes together, except when out of two contraries met to their own destruction, he moulds a third existence, and that it is error, or some evil Angel which either blindly or maliciously hath drawn together in two persons ill imbarkt in wedlock the sleeping discords and enmities of nature lull’d on purpose with some false bait, that they may wake to agony and strife, later then prevention could have wisht, if from the bent of just and honest intentions beginning what was begun, and so continuing, all that is equall, all that is fair and possible hath been tri’d, and no accommodation likely to succeed, what folly is it still to stand combating and battering against invincible causes and effects, with evill upon evill, till either the best of our dayes be linger’d out, or ended with some speeding sorrow."
- 8 Seminal state or polity. obsolete
"The hand of God that first created the Earth, hath with variety disposed the principles of all things; wisely contriving them in their proper seminaries"
- 9 A Roman Catholic priest educated in a foreign seminary; a seminarist.
"I shall not need to instance in the effects which this bull produced; the treason of Watson and Cleark, two English seminaries, are sufficiently known"
- 10 An academic seminar. archaic
Adjective
- 1 Of or relating to seed; seminal. not-comparable
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Sami graduated from the seminary, the top of his class."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "seminary"?
Common synonyms include: academy, bible institute, church school, clergy college, clerical, college.
How do you use "seminary" in a sentence?
Sami graduated from the seminary, the top of his class.
How do you pronounce "seminary"?
Pronounced /ˈsɛmənɛɹi/.
Etymology
From Latin sēminārium, from sēmen (“seed”). Compare seminar. In the ground sense, from Middle English semynair, semynary.