half-
English
Etymology
From Middle EnglishCategory:English terms inherited from Middle English#HALFCategory:English terms derived from Middle English#HALF half-, from Old EnglishCategory:English terms inherited from Old English#HALFCategory:English terms derived from Old English#HALF healf-, from Proto-GermanicCategory:English terms inherited from Proto-Germanic#HALFCategory:English terms derived from Proto-Germanic#HALF *halba- (“half-”), from *halbaz (“half”). Cognate with Dutch half- (“half-”), German halb- (“half-”), Swedish halv- (“half-”), Icelandic hálf- (“half-”). More at half.
Prefix
half-Category:English lemmas#HALFCategory:English prefixes#HALFCategory:English entries with incorrect language header#HALFCategory:Pages with entries#HALF-Category:Pages with 1 entry#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).