Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar SEMICENTENARY shine "bikin cika shekaru 50 ko bikinsa." Kalmar ta samo asali ne daga kalmomin Latin "semi," ma'ana "rabi," da "ƙarni," ma'ana "shekara ɗari." Don haka, makarantar sakandare tana nufin wani muhimmin mataki da ya faru shekaru 50 bayan wani muhimmin al’amari, kamar kafa kungiya, haihuwar kasa, ko bude gini.
