Definition:Number Prefixes/Half/Hemi-

Definition

The prefix hemi- denotes half: $\dfrac 1 2$.

Examples

The prefix hemi- can be found in the following contexts:

• hemisphere: one of the halves of a sphere which has been bisected through its center by a plane

• hemicycle: a synonym for semicircle

Also see

• semi-

Linguistic Note

The prefix hemi- derives from the Classical Greek ἡμι- (hēmi-), from ἥμισυς (hḗmisus), meaning half.

Sources

• 1989: Ephraim J. Borowski and Jonathan M. Borwein: Dictionary of Mathematics ... (previous) ... (next): hemi-
• 2014: Christopher Clapham and James Nicholson: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Mathematics (5th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): hemi-