Meanings
nounsemiquote (plural semiquotes)
plural semiquotes · alternative semi-quote
- A single quotation mark, ('). This is often used for a quote within a quote, as in "Tom said 'What?'"
- A punctuation mark to indicate that the text is a semi-quote, i.e. a close paraphrase that uses some of the author's original words.
- informalA partly paraphrased quotation.
"A fanatic is someone who will not change his mind or the subject of discussion" is a semiquote of Winston Churchill.
verbsemiquote (third-person singular simple present semiquotes, present participle semiquoting, simple past and past participle semiquoted)
present singular third person semiquotes · participle present semiquoting · participle past semiquoted · past semiquoted · alternative semi-quote
- To make a close paraphrase of a quotation, using some of its words.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*sem-
- Proto-Indo-European*sēmi
- Latinsēmi-
- Englishsemi-
- Proto-Indo-European*kʷóti
- Proto-Italic*kʷot
- Latinquot
- Latinquotus
- Medieval Latinquotāre
- Old Frenchcoter
- Middle Englishquoten
- Englishquote
- Englishsemiquote
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
APA
semiquote. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/semiquote
MLA
“semiquote.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/semiquote. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “semiquote,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/semiquote.
Source: semiquote on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.