Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary
sem·i·nar
\\ˈse-mə-ˌnär\\ noun ETYMOLOGY German, from Latin seminarium nursery
DATE 1863
1. a group of advanced students studying under a professor with each doing original research and all exchanging results through reports and discussions2.
a.
(1) a course of study pursued by a seminar
(2) an advanced or graduate course often featuring informality and discussion
b. a scheduled meeting of a seminar or a room for such meetings3. a meeting for giving and discussing information seminar
1887, from Ger. Seminar "group of students working with a professor," from L. seminarium "breeding ground, plant nursery" (see seminary). Sense of "meeting for discussion of a subject" first recorded 1944.
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary-牛津双解-OALD7
seminar
sem·inar / 5seminB:(r) / noun1. a class at a university or college when a small group of students and a teacher discuss or study a particular topic
(大学教师带领学生作专题讨论的)研讨班:
Teaching is by lectures and seminars.
教学形式为讲座和研讨班。
a graduate seminar
研究生研讨班
a seminar room
研讨室
2. a meeting for discussion or training
研讨会；培训会:
a one-day management seminar
为期一天的管理研讨会
Oxford Collocations Dictionary for Students of English
Oxford Collocations dictionary for students of Englishseminar
noun
1 class at a university, etc.
ADJ. termly, weekly, etc. | graduate
QUANT. series
VERB + SEMINAR conduct, give | attend, go to
SEMINAR + NOUN group | discussion, paper | room | programme, series
PREP. at/in a/the ~ There was some lively debate at this week's seminar. | ~ on Professor Mackay will give a seminar on musical settings of Verlaine's poetry.
2 conference for discussion/training
ADJ. all-day, half-day, weekend | one-day, two-day, etc. | business, economic | training
VERB + SEMINAR organize, hold, run | attend, go to
SEMINAR + VERB take place
SEMINAR + NOUN participant
Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged
sem·i·nar
\ˈseməˌnär, -nȧ(r, ˌ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ˈ ̷ ̷\
noun
(
-s)
Etymology: German, from Latin
seminarium seminary
1. : a group of advanced students studying a subject under a professor, each doing some original research, and all exchanging results by informal lectures, reports, and discussions
2.
a. : a course of study pursued by a seminar;
broadly : an advanced or graduate course
b. : a scheduled meeting of a seminar
c. : a room for such meetings
3. : a meeting for giving and discussing information
: a briefing session
: conference
< periodic seminars … of the top sales team serves the same end as the summary report — J.K.Blake >