biennial

English

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /baɪˈɛn.i.əl/

  • Audio (US):

    (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛniəl

Adjective

biennial (not comparable)

1. Happening every two years.
   • 2024 May 8, Katia Hetter, “Mammograms are now recommended starting at age 40. Should you get one?”, in CNN‎:

     This is a marked difference from the task force’s previous guidance, which was to start biennial mammograms by age 50.

2. Lasting for two years.

Synonyms

• biennary (uncommon); biannual (proscribed)

Derived terms

• bienniality
• quasi-biennial oscillation

Related terms

• biennium
• biennially
• biannual, semiannual

Translations

happening every two years

Belarusian: двухгадо́вы (dvuxhadóvy) Bulgarian: двугоди́шен (dvugodíšen) Catalan: biennal (ca), bianual (ca) Dutch: tweejaarlijks (nl) Finnish: joka toinen vuosi tapahtuva French: bisannuel (fr), biennal (fr) Galician: bienal (gl) m or f German: biennal (de), zweijährlich (de) Irish: débhliantúil Italian: biennale (it) Japanese: 二年ごとの (にねんごとの, ninen goto no) Manx: daa-vleinoil Polish: codwuroczny, codwuletni Portuguese: bienal (pt) Romanian: bienal (ro) Russian: двухгоди́чный (ru) (dvuxgodíčnyj) Scottish Gaelic: dà bhliadhnail Spanish: bienal (es) Ukrainian: дворі́чний (dvoríčnyj), дволі́тній (dvolítnij)

lasting for two years

Belarusian: двухгадо́вы (dvuxhadóvy) Finnish: kaksivuotinen (fi) French: biennal (fr) German: biennal (de), zweijährig (de) Greek: διετής (el) (dietís) Irish: débhliantúil Japanese: 二年間続く (にねんかんつづく, ninenkan tsuzuku), 二年生の (にねんせいの, ninensei no, botany) Kazakh: екіжылдық (ekıjyldyq) Manx: daa-vleinoil Polish: dwuroczny, dwuletni (pl) Portuguese: bienal (pt) Romanian: bienal (ro) Russian: двухле́тний (ru) (dvuxlétnij) Scottish Gaelic: dà bhliadhnail Spanish: bienal (es) Ukrainian: дворі́чний (dvoríčnyj), дволі́тній (dvolítnij)

Noun

biennial (plural biennials)

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.
   • 1891, Sir George Chetwynd, Racing Reminiscences and Experiences of the Turf, page 122:

     The famous Biennial was won by Earl of Dartrey, a light, peacocky horse, who was, perhaps, better than he looked.

Translations

plant

French: bisannuelle (fr) f Irish: débhliantóg f Scottish Gaelic: lus dà bhliadhnail m

event

Finnish: biennaali (fi) Italian: biennale (it) Slovak: bienále n Swedish: biennal (sv) c Turkish: bienal (tr)

See also

• annual, triennial, quadrennial, quinquennial, sexennial, septennial, octennial, novennial, decennial, vicennial, centennial, bicentennial, quincentennial, millennial, perennial