seminary

From Latin sēminārium, from sēmen (“seed”). Compare seminar. In the ground sense, from Middle English semynair, semynary.

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈsɛmənɛɹi/
• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈsɛmɪnəɹi/, /ˈsɛmɪnɹi/

seminary (plural seminaries)

1. A theological school for the training of rabbis, priests, or ministers.
2. A private residential school for girls.
   • 1885, W[illiam] S[chwenck] Gilbert, Arthur Sullivan, composer, […] The Mikado; or, The Town of Titipu, London: Chappel & Co., […], →OCLC:

     Three little maids who, all unwary,
     Come from a ladies' seminary

3. (Mormonism) A class of religious education for youths ages 14–18 that accompanies normal secular education.
4. A piece of ground where seed is sown for producing plants for transplantation.
   • 1707, J[ohn] Mortimer, The Whole Art of Husbandry; or, The Way of Managing and Improving of Land. […], 2nd edition, London: […] J[ohn] H[umphreys] for H[enry] Mortlock […], and J[onathan] Robinson […], published 1708, →OCLC:

     I shall first begin with the Seminary and Nursery, as what is the first Work to be taken care of where you have not the opportunity of buying Trees

   • 1664, J[ohn] E[velyn], “. Chapter II. Of the Seminary.”, in Sylva, or A Discourse of Forest-trees and the Propagation of Timber in His Majesties Dominions. […], London: […] Jo[hn] Martyn, and Ja[mes] Allestry, printers to the Royal Society, […], →OCLC, page 7:

     [B]ut if you draw them [seedlings] only for the thinning of your Seminary, prick them into ſome empty Beds at one foot interval, leaving the reſt at two or three.

5. (by extension) The place or original stock from which anything is brought or produced.
   • 1643, John Milton, Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce:

     Seeing then there is indeed a twofold Seminary or stock in nature, from whence are deriv’d the issues of love and hatred distinctly flowing through the whole masse of created things, and that Gods doing ever is to bring the due likenesses and harmonies of his workes together, except when out of two contraries met to their own destruction, he moulds a third existence, and that it is error, or some evil Angel which either blindly or maliciously hath drawn together in two persons ill imbarkt in wedlock the sleeping discords and enmities of nature lull’d on purpose with some false bait, that they may wake to agony and strife, later then prevention could have wisht, if from the bent of just and honest intentions beginning what was begun, and so continuing, all that is equall, all that is fair and possible hath been tri’d, and no accommodation likely to succeed, what folly is it still to stand combating and battering against invincible causes and effects, with evill upon evill, till either the best of our dayes be linger’d out, or ended with some speeding sorrow.

   • 1695, John Woodward, “(please specify the page)”, in An Essay toward a Natural History of the Earth: And Terrestrial Bodies, Especially Minerals: […], London: […] Ric[hard] Wilkin […], →OCLC:

     the Seminary or Promptuary that furnisheth forth Matter for the Formation and Increment of Animal and Vegetable Bodies

6. (obsolete) Seminal state or polity.
   • 1650, Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], 2nd edition, London: […] A[braham] Miller, for Edw[ard] Dod and Nath[aniel] Ekins, […], →OCLC:

     The hand of God that first created the Earth, hath with variety disposed the principles of all things; wisely contriving them in their proper seminaries

7. A Roman Catholic priest educated in a foreign seminary; a seminarist.
   • 1638, Jeremy Taylor, Sermon on Gunpowder Treason:

     I shall not need to instance in the effects which this bull produced; the treason of Watson and Cleark, two English seminaries, are sufficiently known

8. (archaic) An academic seminar.

• seminarian
• seminarist

• seminar

seminary (not comparable)

1. Of or relating to seed; seminal.