Abarim Publications' online Biblical Greek Dictionary

ημι

The inseparable prefix ημι- (hemi-) means "half" and is cognate with the Latin prefix semi-, which in turn is identical to the Proto-Indo-European root "semi-", from whence these words stem. It survives in English in the familiar noun hemisphere, and a vast list of obscure scientific terms such as hemi-acetal, hemibranch, hemichordate and so on.

In the New Testament, only two words occur that incorporate our prefix ημι- (hemi-):

• Together with the verb θνησκω (thnesko), meaning to die: the adjective ημιθανης (hemithanes), meaning half-dead (Luke 10:30 only).
• Together with the noun ωρα (hora), meaning cycle or natural time period: the noun ημιωριον (hemiorion), meaning half-period (Revelation 8:1 only).

ημισυς