▪ I. seminary, n.1
(ˈsɛmɪnərɪ)
Forms: 5 seminari, semynari, 5–6 semynary, 5–7 seminarie, 6 seminarye, (semenarie, -ye, semynarie, seameanary, pl. Sc. seminareis), (7 semenary), 6– seminary. See also seminaire, seminar1.
[ad. L. sēminārium seed-plot (also fig.), orig. neut. of sēminārius seminary a. Cf. F. séminaire, Sp., Pg., It. seminario, G. seminar.]
† 1. A piece of ground in which plants are sown (or raised from cuttings, etc.) to be afterwards transplanted; a seed-plot. Obs.
| c 1440 Pallad. on Husb. iii. 480 Let set in to thy semynari bliue Oliues bowis vj feet long or fiue. Ibid. iii. 489, iv. 558. 1601 Holland Pliny xvii. x. I. 510 Concerning seminaries and nource-gardens. 1658 Evelyn Fr. Gard. (1675) 46 Then taking your grafted trees out of the seminary, you shall transplant them into this nursery. 1719 London & Wise Compl. Gard. 185 For Apple-tree Seminaries, plant the Wildings grown from the Kernels... For a Seminary of Plumbs, plant the Suckers of their several kinds. 1778 R. Weston Gard. & Planter's Cal. (ed. 2) 80 The Nursery and Seminary. 1829 Southey Sir T. More (1831) II. 47 They have become mere seminaries..and for raising dwarf trees. |
† b. transf.
| 1590 Spenser F.Q. iii. vi. 30 In that same Gardin all the goodly flowres, Wherewith dame Nature doth her beautifie,..Are fetcht: there is the first seminarie Of all things, that are borne to liue and die [etc.]. 1660 Sharrock Vegetables 29 The ground itself from its own seminary sent out the supposititious crop of oates. |
† 2. transf. A place where animals are bred; a region which supplies (some kind of animal). Also, a stock or breed (of animal). Obs.
| 1607 Topsell Four-f. Beasts 21 He that will haue a good flocke of Asses, must looke that the male and female be sounde,..and out of a good seminary, as of Arcadia or Rea. Ibid. 69 Very great and large oxen, which the inhabitants cal Pyrhicæ, because that their first stocke or seminary were kept by King Pirrhus. 1612 Selden Illustr. Drayton's Poly-olb. vi. 99 The whole tract is a Seminary of Horses. 1665 Needham Med. Medicinæ 197 Man's rotten Carcase becomes a Seminary of Worms. |
3. fig. a. A place of origin and early development; a place or thing in which something (e.g. an art or science, a virtue or vice) is developed or cultivated, or from which it is propagated abundantly.
| 1592 R. D. Hypnerotomachia 79 b, My insatiable and wanton eyes..whome I founde the seminaries and moovers of all so great strife and trouble, in my..heart. 1596 R. L[inche] Diella viii, Thyne eyes (those Semynaries of my griefe). 1625 Jackson Creed v. xx. Wks. IV. 177 That the seminaries of poetry should be the chief nurses of idolatry argues how apt the one is to bring forth the other. 1646 Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. vi. vii. 308 God..hath with variety disposed the principles of all things; wisely contriving them in their proper seminaries, and where they best maintaine the intention of their species. a 1656 Ussher Power of Princes ii. (1683) 156 The bloud of this noble Army of Martyrs became the fruitful seminary thereof. 1659 Gentl. Calling (1696) 114 If Gentlemen's families were so ordered, as to become Seminaries of Industry and Sobriety. 1696 Whiston Th. Earth (1722) 88 The Chaos, that known fund and seminary of the Six Days Creation. 1744 Berkeley Siris §141 Wks. 1871 II. 415 All which demonstrates the air to be a common seminary and receptacle of all vivifying principles. 1830 Mackintosh Ethical Philos. Wks. 1846 I. 113 The virtues which guard the natural seminaries of the affections are their only true and lasting friends. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. vi. II. 112 The Council chamber at Edinburgh had been..a seminary of all public and all private vices. 1864 Lowell Study Windows, Libr. Old Authors end, We are profoundly thankful for the omission of a glossary. It would have been a nursery and seminary of blunder. |
b. A place, country, society, condition of things, or the like, in which some particular class of persons are produced or trained.
| a 1604 Hanmer Chron. Irel. (1633) 53 The seminarie or bee hive of many thousands of Monkes. 1615 E. S. Britain's Buss E 2 By which meanes euery Busse shall be a Seminary of Saylors and Fishers also, for so shall euery busse breede and make Sixe new Marriners. a 1626 Bacon Notes Sp. conc. War Spain Wks. 1826 V. 234 There is not in the world again such a spring and seminary of military people as is England, Scotland, and Ireland. a 1635 Naunton Fragm. Reg. (Arb.) 33 Those Netherland wars were the Queens Seminaries, and the Nurseries of very many brave Souldiers. 1750 Carte Hist. Eng. II. 762 The north used to be the seminary of Henry's and Margaret's forces, supplying them constantly with fresh recruits. 1756–9 A. Butler Lives of Saints, S. Wasnulf, In the seventh century St. Vincent..invited many holy monks from Ireland and Scotland, then seminaries of saints, into the Netherlands. 1876 Blackie Lang. & Lit. Scott. Highl. v. 309 What had once been..the seminary of a stout Celtic people, and the nursery of a brave British army. |
† c. A continuous supply (of a class of persons).
| 1652–62 Heylyn Cosmogr. iii. (1673) 166/1 And from hence supply themselves with a perpetual Seminary of Slaves and Souldiers. |
4. A place of education, a school, college, university, or the like; often explicitly (cf. 3 a) seminary of learning, seminary science, etc. Also in more specific sense (cf. 3 b) an institution for the training of those destined for some particular profession.
‘In the earlier half of the 19th c. ‘Seminary for Young Ladies’ was very common as the designation of a private school for girls. This use is perhaps not wholly obsolete, but is no longer in repute.’ N.E.D.
| 1585 Reg. Privy Council Scot. Ser. i. IV. 2 Universiteis and seminareis for instructioun of craftie personis. 1607 Statutes in Hist. Wakefield Gram. Sch. (1892) 62 This schole is principallie ordained a seminarie for bringinge up of christian children. 1611 Coryat Crudities 378 A Schoole which hath beene a most fruitfull seminarie of many excellent learned men. 1628 Wotton Life & Lett. (1907) II. 307 This Royal Seminary [Eton]. 1642 Fuller Holy & Prof. St. ii. xxiii. 146 He was preferred to be Master of Westminster School a most famous seminarie of learning. a 1700 Evelyn Diary 10 Mar. 1687, I..much admir'd the order, œconomy, and excellent government of this most charitable seminary [Christ's Hospital]. 1709 Swift Advancem. Relig. 30 As for the Inns of Court,..they must needs be the worst instituted Seminaries in any Christian Country. 1757 Burke Abridgm. Eng. Hist. ii. ii. Wks. (1812) 281 That a nation..should..have established so flourishing a seminary of learning. 1774 J. Bryant Mythol. I. 436 They were made use of for seminaries, where young people were educated. 1800 Ht. Lee Canterb. T. (ed. 2) III. 9 The seminary to which Mr. Cavendish conducted his son could not properly be termed a school. 1802 Beddoes Hygeia viii. 71 A lady who believes herself to have been the favourite of the heads of one of the most numerous seminaries in England. 1815 Scott Guy M. xvii, To place his daughter in a seminary for female education. 1817 Sporting Mag. L. 13 The modern metaphorical refinement of styling a school a seminary which may be now seen in many a blind alley of London. 1831 Brewster Newton i. 4 At the usual age he was sent to two day-schools at Skillington and Stoke, where he acquired the education which such seminaries afforded. 1837 Lockhart Scott I. iii. 102 Young Walter spent one hour daily at a small separate seminary of writing and arithmetic. 1840 Dickens Old C. Shop viii, Whereon appeared, in circumambient flourishes, the words ‘Ladies' Seminary’. 1840 Jos. Quincy Harvard Univ. II. 452 The interests of society demand, that the number of the greater seminaries of science should be few. 1876 J. Grant Burgh Sch. Scot. ii. v. 201 That famous seminary [Aberdeen University]. 1885 W. S. Gilbert Mikado i. Trio, Three little maids who, all unwary, Come from a ladies' seminary, Freed from its genius tutelary—Three little maids from school! |
5. R.C. Ch. A school or college for training persons for the priesthood. In 16–17th c. often used with reference to those institutions engaged in the training of priests for the English mission.
| 1581 J. Hamilton Cath. Traict. Epist. 9 He hes not neglectit ye occasion offrit to plant sindrie learnit and godlie ȝong men in a publik seminarie. 1582 Allen Martyrd. Campion (1908) 6 Hearing that there was a Seminary not longe before begonne in Doway. 1589 Nashe Pasquill & Marforius A iij, At the last, hearing the Schollers of the English Seminarie merrie, as they returned from their Vineyarde..I stole out of Rome by night [etc.]. 1678 Phillips (ed. 4), Seminary..a Colledge approved for the education of Priests of the Romish Church, who were to propagate their Doctrine in England, or other Parts of a different perswasion. 1716 in Payne Rec. Eng. Catholics of 1715 (1889) 148 John is now in some Popish seminary abroad. 1868 G. Duff Pol. Surv. 16 For monasteries, we should read convents, mission-houses, and seminaries. |
b. attrib., as in seminary † college, seminary-man, seminary-priest.
| 1581 in Cath. Rec. Soc. Publ. V. 20 William thorley..was brought uppe in a Semynary College at Reames iij yeares. 1582 Allen Martyrd. Campion (1908) 99 Confessing boldly himself to be a Catholike, a Priest, and a Seminarie man of Rhemes. 1582 in Cath. Rec. Soc. Publ. V. 26 He is now w{supt}{suph}in this moneth returned a Seameanary preest from Rheames. 1693 Mem. Ct. Teckely I. 5 [The Emperors of the House of Austria] filled their Countreys with Missionaries, or Seminary Priests, as we call them. 1759 Robertson Hist. Scot. i. Wks. 1813 I. 542 He drove many of the seminary priests out of the kingdom. 1821 Scott Kenilw. i, Giles Gosling..was at one time inclined to suspect his guest of being a Jesuit, or seminary priest. |
6. = seminar2. Also attrib.
| 1889 Academy 17 Aug. 103/2 The ‘seminary’ system seems to be making way [at Harvard]... The seminary is an association of the teachers, fellows, and scholars..for the prosecution of original studies by means of discussion and criticism. 1891 Century Dict. s.v., Seminary course. |
† 7. Short for seminary priest (see 5 b). Obs.
| 1581 W. Charke Replie to Censure I iii, This should be a note not only to those Iesuites, but to al whatsoeuer they be, Iesuites, or Seminaries or massepriestes, or what persons soeuer. 1593 Nashe Christ's T. Q iii b, The Romish Seminaries haue not allured vnto them so many good wits as Atheisme. 1614 B. Jonson Barth. Fair ii. i, A while agone, they made mee, yea me, to mistake an honest zealous Pursiuant, for a Seminary. 1685 Wood Life Sept. (O.H.S.) III. 162 M{supr} Ll. Jenkyns was imprison'd for a seminary. |
¶ b. Often treated as a subst. use of seminary a., with the sense ‘one who sows the seed’ (of Romish doctrine). See seminary a. 2 and n.2 2.
| 1583 [see seedman 1]. 1610 J. Dove An Advert. 2 Their yong frye of Seminaries and seed-men, which are trained up under them, see not with their owne eyes. |
▪ II. † ˈseminary, a. and n.2 Obs.
[ad. L. sēminārius, f. sēmin- seed: see semen.]
A. adj.
1. = seminal a.
| 1592 Nashe P. Penilesse H ii, They [spirits] so comprehend those seminarie vertues to men vnknown, that those thinges which, in course of time,..Nature of it selfe can effect, they..can contriue and compas in a moment. 1602 Dolman La Primaud. Fr. Acad. (1618) iii. 727 That which the point is in the Mathematicks, the same is the seminarie power in the Phisickes. 1615 Crooke Body of Man 219 Aristotle..would haue that humor which is auoyded by the necke of the matrix not to bee a seminarie or seedy humour. 1650 Bulwer Anthropomet. 233 The Testes and seminary vessels. 1671 J. Webster Metallogr. ii. 33 Especially in declaring the root and seminary power of Metals. 1720 P. Blair Bot. Ess. iv. 306 The Seminary Particles in the Ova. a 1742 G. Martin in Med. Ess. Edin. V. 231 The seminary Blood-vessels. |
2. Occupied in sowing seed. fig. with allusion to seminary n.1 7.
| 1609 Bible (Douay) To Rdr. † 6 And so [he]..calleth the other Apostles Messores, Reapers, and S. Paul, being specially sent to the Gentiles, Seminatorem a Sower, or Seminarie Apostle. 1640 Gauden Love of Truth 25 Fortifying truth, against the Seminary incursions of those, that seeke to encroach upon its ancient bounds. |
B. n. (From absolute uses of the adj.)
1. a. A germ, embryo, seminal particle. b. spec. The morbific matter or principle (of a disease); pl. germs (of infection). Cf. seminal n. Obs.
| a. 1671 J. Webster Metallogr. iii. 40 Plants were not created perfect at first, but only in their seminaries. |
| b. 1604 F. Herring Mod. Defence A iiij, The foure windes bring diuers affections of the aire, and especially contagious seminaries. 1650 Bulwer Anthropomet. 244 In whom there lies hid the Seminary of a disease. 1665 G. Harvey Adv. agst. Plague 9 Houses built upon a clay and foggy ground are more subject to conceive pestilent Seminaries. 1684 tr. Bonet's Merc. Compit. vi. 202 The Plague, whose fomes, seminary, or contagion you will never cast out of the Body, except by [Alexitericks or Sudorificks]. 1694 Salmon Bate's Dispens. (1713) 191/2 Dedicated to the Kidneys and Bladder, not only to evacuate what is viscous and sandy in them, but also to move the Seminary thereof, and hinder..the farther Generations of Sand, Gravel, or Stones. |
2. A sower of seed. Only fig., chiefly with punning allusion to seminary n.1 7.
| [1583, 1610: see seminary n. 7 b.] a 1680 Butler Charac. in Rem. (1759) II. 450 A Pettifogger..is a Law-seminary, that sows Tares amongst Friends to entangle them in Contention with one another. |