biennial

[bahy-en-ee-uhl]

adjective

1. happening every two years.

   biennial games.

2. lasting or enduring for two years.

   a biennial life cycle.

3. Botany.,  completing its normal term of life in two years, flowering and fruiting the second year, as beets or winter wheat.

noun

1. any event occurring once in two years.

2. Botany.,  a biennial plant.

biennial

/ baɪˈɛnɪəl /

adjective

1. occurring every two years

2. lasting two years Compare biannual

noun

1. a plant, such as the carrot, that completes its life cycle within two years, developing vegetative storage parts during the first year and flowering and fruiting in its second year Compare annual perennial

2. an event that takes place every two years

biennial

1. Completing a life cycle normally in two growing seasons.

1. A biennial plant. In the first year, biennials normally produce a short stem, a rosette of leaves, and a fleshy root that acts as food supply. In the second season, biennials blossom, produce seed, use up their food supply, and die. Carrots, parsnips, and sugar beets are examples of biennials.

2. Compare annual perennial

Confusables Note

See bi- ¹.

Other Word Forms

• biennially adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of biennial¹

First recorded in 1615–25; bienni(um) + -al ¹

Example Sentences

Next month, the two nations will participate in a large biennial exercise, called Talisman Sabre, that will involve more than 30,000 personnel from 19 nations.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

On Sunday, Mr. Lowry made the key putt giving the Europeans their second straight victory in the biennial competition.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

This biennial competition that pits the U.S. against Europe can feel more like the soccer World Cup than the Masters.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Europe went on to eke out a 15-13 win, marking the first time since Europe’s win in 2012 that either side had managed to win this biennial showdown on foreign soil.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

John Knight, Hood Century Modern and New Theater Hollywood are on the list of artists to be spotlighted in the Hammer Museum’s much-anticipated Made in L.A. biennial.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• flower 
• grass 
• herb 
• seedling 
• shrub 
• tree 
• vine 
• weed