semiquote en · NOUN
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *sem- Proto-Indo-European *sēmi Latin sēmi-bor. English semi- Proto-Indo-European *kʷótider. Proto-Italic *kʷot Latin quot Latin quotus Medieval Latin quotāreder. Old French coterbor. Middle English quoten English quote English semiquote From semi- + quote.
Meanings
- 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.
-
(informal) A partly paraphrased quotation.
"A fanatic is someone who will not change his mind or the subject of discussion" is a semiquote of Winston Churchill.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| semiquotes | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| semi-quote | alternative | lexicographic |