semi-professional
UK[ˌsemi prəˈfeʃənəl]US[ˌsemi prəˈfeʃənəl, ˌsemaɪ-]
adj
engaging in an activity for pay but not as a full-time occupation
adj
of a standard between amateur and professional
n
a person who engages in an activity as a semi-professional
Morpheme Breakdown
semi
professional
semi
half
professional
engaged in a profession
Etymology
the word 'semi-professional' is a modern english compound, formed by attaching the latin prefix 'semi-' to the established english adjective 'professional'. the prefix 'semi-' originates from latin 'semis', meaning 'half', which itself is a compound of 'sēmi-' (a prefix meaning half) and 'as' (a unit). the term 'professional' entered english via old french, tracing back to latin 'professio', from 'profiteri' meaning 'to declare publicly'. the logic of the compound is transparent: it describes a state or level that is halfway between the full commitment of a professional and the purely amateur engagement, capturing the blended nature of participation and compensation in a field.
Analysis
Structure: semi (half) + professional (engaged in a profession)
semi is a prefix from latin, meaning 'half' or 'partially'. professional is an adjective from english, derived from the noun 'profession', meaning an occupation requiring specialized training.
Examples
he played semi-professional football while working as a teacher.
the league has a mix of amateur and semi-professional teams.
she turned semi-professional after winning several local tournaments.