biannual

[ bahy-an-yoo-uhl ]

/ baɪˈæn yu əl /

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See synonyms for biannual on Thesaurus.com

adjective

occurring twice a year; semiannual.

occurring every two years; biennial.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of biannual

First recorded in 1875–80; bi-¹ + annual

words often confused with biannual

See bi-¹.

OTHER WORDS FROM biannual

bi·an·nu·al·ly, adverb

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH biannual

biannual , biennial, semiannual, semiyearly (see confusables note at bi-¹)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use biannual in a sentence

Are you bi-coastal now, between Portlandia and Late Night with Seth Meyers?
Coffee Talk with Fred Armisen: On ‘Portlandia,’ Meeting Obama, and Taylor Swift’s Greatness|Marlow Stern|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Russia depends on oil exports for almost 70 percent of its foreign-currency earnings and almost 50 percent of its annual budget.
How Crimea Crashed the Russian Economy|Anna Nemtsova|December 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Perhaps the most Jewish part of the 6th Annual Latke Festival was that the food went way faster than the liquor.
I Ate Potato Pancakes Til I Plotzed|Emily Shire|December 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Film critic David Ehrlich continues his annual tradition of making a supercut of his favorite films of the year.
‘Sexual’ Barbershop Quartet, a Panda Family Reunion, and More Viral Videos|The Daily Beast Video|December 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Yes, lawyers bill by the hour but are paid an annual salary—plus bonuses.
How Amazon Became Santa’s Sweatshop|Sally Kohn|December 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The governor of the fortress was provided with a safe residence in Egypt, and an annual pension of 75,000 piasters.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell
Isaacson did not visit Mrs. Chepstow again before he left London for his annual holiday.
Bella Donna|Robert Hichens
In former years, Korea had paid an annual tribute or tax to China, but for some time it had been held back by this king.
Our Little Korean Cousin|H. Lee M. Pike
Whether his annual expenditure be fifty pounds or fifty thousand, he tries to get his money's worth.
Glances at Europe|Horace Greeley
If this stinking quartet takes it into its head to levy annual blackmail, where is the money coming from?
Ancestors|Gertrude Atherton

British Dictionary definitions for biannual

biannual

/ (baɪˈænjʊəl) /

adjective

occurring twice a yearCompare biennial

Derived forms of biannual

biannually, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

biannual

Origin of biannual

words often confused with biannual

OTHER WORDS FROM biannual

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH biannual

Words related to biannual

How to use biannual in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for biannual

Derived forms of biannual