bi-

¹ American  

1. a combining form meaning “twice,” “two,” used in the formation of compound words.

   bifacial; bifarious.

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bi- ² American  

1. variant of bio-, especially before a vowel.

   biopsy.

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bi ³ American  

[bahy] / baɪ /

adjective

plural

bis, bi's

1. Slang. bisexual.

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Bi ⁴ American  

Symbol, Chemistry.

1. bismuth.

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BI ⁵ American  

abbreviation

plural

BI's

1. built-in.

2. business intelligence.

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bi- ¹ British  

combining form

1. two; having two

   bifocal

2. occurring every two; lasting for two

   biennial

3. on both sides, surfaces, directions, etc

   bilateral

4. occurring twice during

   biweekly

5. 1. denoting an organic compound containing two identical cyclic hydrocarbon systems

      biphenyl

   2. (rare in technical usage) indicating an acid salt of a dibasic acid

      sodium bicarbonate

   3. (not in technical usage) equivalent of di- 1

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Bi ² British  

symbol

1. bismuth

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bi ³ British  

/ baɪ /

adjective

1. slang short for bisexual bisexual

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bi- ⁴ British  

combining form

1. a variant of bio-

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bi ⁵ British  

abbreviation

1. Burundi

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Usage

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.

Commonly Confused

All words except biennial referring to periods of time and prefixed by bi- ¹ are potentially ambiguous. Since bi- can be taken to mean either “twice each” or “every two,” a word like biweekly can be understood as “twice each week” or “every two weeks.” To avoid confusion, it is better to use the prefix semi- to mean “twice each” ( semiannual; semimonthly; semiweekly ) or the phrase twice a or twice each ( twice a month; twice a week; twice each year ), and for the other sense to use the phrase every two ( every two months; every two weeks; every two years ).

Etymology

Origin of bi-¹

< Latin, combining form of bis; twice

Origin of bi³

By shortening

Example Sentences

Traipsing through genres and time periods, these excursions are an opportunity for Bi and his creative team to frolic in various cinematic sandboxes.

From Los Angeles Times

But Bi is after more than elaborate dress-up, conceiving each episode as an exploration of how movies amplify and comment on life’s cavalcade of emotions.

From Los Angeles Times

This wistful chapter evokes classics like “Paper Moon,” but Bi lands on a resolution that’s uniquely heartbreaking, connecting the illusion of movies with the delusions we cling to in the real world.

From Los Angeles Times

As he has done in his previous films, Bi creates a climax for “Resurrection” that culminates in a masterfully orchestrated long take, one lasting just under 30 minutes, as we follow Apollo and Tai Zhaomei on an electric adventure through a New Year’s Eve involving gangsters, karaoke bars and random bloodsucking.

From Los Angeles Times

The segment is easily the film’s showiest, Bi’s camera snaking through streets and darting into different buildings.

From Los Angeles Times