bi
Origin of bi
Other definitions for bi (2 of 5)
Other definitions for bi (3 of 5)
Other definitions for bi (4 of 5)
Origin of bi-
1words often confused with bi-
Other definitions for bi (5 of 5)
WORDS THAT USE BI-
What does bi- mean?
Bi- is a combining form used like a prefix, and it means “two” or “twice.” It is often used in scientific terms, but it crops up in everyday language as well.
Bi- comes from Latin bis, meaning “twice, doubly.” The Greek equivalent of this combining form is di-, as in diacid.
What are variants of bi-?
Bi- is related to the combining form bin– and is used with some words or word elements beginning with vowels. These two forms have similar origins, and for that reason, the difference between the two is a small yet important nuance: bi- often means “twice,” while bin- typically means “double.”
Want to know more? Read our Words That Use bin- article.
Examples of bi-
An example of a word you may have encountered that features bi- is biannual, which can mean either “occurring twice a year” or “occurring every two years.”
Confused? You’re not alone! When it comes to indicating dates on the calendar, bi- likes to have it both ways, as it were. Learn some tips on using biannual and other tricky terms like biweekly here.
We know bi- means “twice,” but what about the -annual portion of the word? You guessed it: -annual means “yearly,” from Latin annuālis. Biannual literally translates to “twice yearly.”
What are some words that use the combining form bi-?
- biaxial
- biacetyl
- biathlon
- biangular
- biflex
- bifold
- bihourly
- bijugate
- bimetal
- bimodal
- bimotor
- bipod
- bipedal
- biplane
- bipolar
- biprism
- biparous
- biquarterly
- bisect
- bisexual
- biweekly
- bizonal
The following words use the equivalent forms of bi- in Latin:
What are some other forms that bi- may be commonly confused with?
There are many words that begin with the letters bi-, such as bias, that do not use the combining form bi- to denote “two.” Learn what words like bias and bilk mean at our entries for these words.
How to use bi in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for bi (1 of 5)
British Dictionary definitions for bi (2 of 5)
British Dictionary definitions for bi (3 of 5)
British Dictionary definitions for bi (4 of 5)
sometimes before a vowel bin-
- denoting an organic compound containing two identical cyclic hydrocarbon systemsbiphenyl
- (rare in technical usage) indicating an acid salt of a dibasic acidsodium bicarbonate
- (not in technical usage) equivalent of di- 1 (def. 2a)