trimester
noun
ˈtrī-ˌme-
Did you know?
Semester, which comes from the Latin words for "six" and "month", has come to mean half an academic year when the year is divided into two segments. When an academic year is divided into three segments, each is called a trimester (which is usually a bit more accurate, since each segment often is close to three months in length). Some colleges operate on the "quarter" system, with the summer being the fourth quarter, but this just means that each quarter is basically a trimester. In a human pregnancy, a trimester is three months long, representing one-third of the nine months that a typical pregnancy lasts.
Examples of trimester in a Sentence
Aria Bendix, NBC News, 12 Nov. 2024
The very small number that take place in the third trimester are usually done because of dangerous medical conditions.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2024
During the first trimester, the current leave period for either category will be doubled from five to 10 days.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024
The state would be allowed to regulate or prohibit abortions in the third trimester, except if the life and health of the mother is threatened.
—USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Trimester.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trimester. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
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trimester
noun
ˈtrī-ˌ
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