Where does “semifinalist” come from?

semifinalist (English) comes from English finalist, from English -ist, from Old French -iste, from Latin -ista, from Ancient Greek -ιστής, from Ancient Greek -τής, from Proto-Hellenic -tās.

semifinalist (English): A person who competes in the semifinals, the...

Definitions

  1. A person who competes in the semifinals, the...

Ancestry of “semifinalist”, step by step

semifinalist traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English finalist

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishfinalistSomebody or something that appears in the final...
2English-istAdded to words to form nouns denoting
3Old French-iste
4Latin-ista-ist; one who practises or believes
5Ancient Greek-ιστήςAlternative form of -τής; -ist
6Ancient Greek-τήςAppended to verbs to form agent nouns
7Proto-Hellenic-tās

via English semi

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsemiA semi-detached house; A semitrailer; a...
2Englishsemi-half; partial, incomplete; somewhat, rather,...
3Latinsēmi-half
4Proto-Indo-Europeansēmihalf; partially
Every word from Proto-Hellenic -tāsEvery word from English -istEvery word from Ancient Greek -τής
semifinalist — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer