English Explanatory Dictionary

biennial

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Happening every two years.
  2. Lasting for two years.
noun
  1. A plant that requires two years to complete its life-cycle, germinating and growing in its first year, then producing its flowers and fruit in its second year, after which it usually dies.
  2. An event that happens every two years.

Pronunciation

/baɪˈɛn.i.əl/ en-us-biennial.ogg

Word forms

biennial biennials

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin bienni(um) (“two-year period”) [from bis, bi- (“twice”) + annus (“year”)] + -al (suffix forming adjectives). By surface analysis, bi- + -ennial.

Synonyms

biennary biannual

Related words

biennium biennially biannual semiannual annual triennial quadrennial quinquennial sexennial septennial octennial novennial decennial vicennial centennial bicentennial quincentennial millennial perennial

Derived words

bienniality quasi-biennial oscillation
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