seminary

UK: /ˈsɛmɪnəri/ US: /ˈsɛməˌnɛri/ ,(sem′ə ner′ē)

Inflections of 'seminary' (n): npl: seminaries

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

sem•i•nar•y /ˈsɛməˌnɛri/   n. [countable] , pl. -nar•ies. 

1. Religion a school that prepares students for the priesthood, ministry, or rabbinate.

sem•i•nar•i•an, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

sem•i•nar•y  (sem′ə ner′ē), n., pl. -nar•ies. 

1. Religion a special school providing education in theology, religious history, etc., primarily to prepare students for the priesthood, ministry, or rabbinate.
2. Education a school, esp. one of higher grade.
3. Education a school of secondary or higher level for young women.
4. Education seminar (def. 1).
5. a place of origin and propagation:
   a seminary of discontent.

• Latin sēminārium, equivalent. to sēmin- (stem of sēmen) seed, semen + -ārium -ary
• late Middle English: seed plot, nursery 1400–50

sem′i•nar′i•al, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

seminary / ˈsɛmɪnərɪ/ noun ( -naries)

1. an academy for the training of priests, rabbis, etc
2. 
   another word for seminar1

Etymology: 15th Century: from Latin sēminārium a nursery garden, from sēmen seed

ˌsemiˈnarial adjective