semi-state

See also: semistate

English

Alternative forms

• semi state, semi-State

Etymology

semi- +‎ state

Adjective

semi-state (not comparable)

1. (Ireland) state-owned but managed independently along commercial lines
   • 1950 March 2, Edward Richards-Orpen, State and Semi-State Companies—Motion. Seanad Éireann debates Vol.37 No.9 p.5 c.692:

     I think it would be agreed by all that in the last ten or 15 years we have seen a remarkable growth of these State and semi-State companies, by which I mean companies in which our Minister for Finance holds shares and very often holds the dominating number of shares.

   • 2007 October 29, Patricia McDonagh, “Top 10 bosses in semi-state firms cost total of €2m a year”, in Irish Independent:

     TAXPAYERS are shelling out more than €2m annually to pay for the salaries of 10 high-profile CEOs employed in commercial semi-state bodies.

2. ceremonial, but somewhat less ornate, formal, or prestigious than would be classed as "state"
   • 1896, Cassell's Family Magazine, page 700:

     There now remains the fourth side of the square, which is devoted to the state and semi-state carriages. The semi-state carriages, eleven in number, are chiefly of modern make.

   • 1940, Larz Anderson, “An Embassy to Japan”, in Letters and Journals of a Diplomat, Fleming H. Revell, page 380:

     Soon a full-state carriage arrived, followed by two semi-state carriages, [...]

   • 2010 November 24, Stephen Bates, “Royal wedding set to be a 'semi-state occasion' at Westminster Abbey”, in The Guardian:

     The wedding will be what was termed a "semi-state" occasion.

   • a. 2017, Royal Collection Trust, "Windsor Castle > The Semi-State Rooms" (website accessed 19 Oct 2017)

     These Semi-State Rooms are among the most richly decorated interiors in the Castle and are used by The Queen for official entertaining.

Anagrams

• estimates, steamiest