biennial

[ bahy-en-ee-uhl ]

/ baɪˈɛn i əl /

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See synonyms for biennial on Thesaurus.com

adjective Also biyearly (for defs. 1, 2).

happening every two years: biennial games.

lasting or enduring for two years: a biennial life cycle.

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

noun

any event occurring once in two years.

Botany. a biennial plant.

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Origin of biennial

First recorded in 1615–25; bienni(um) + -al¹

words often confused with biennial

See bi-¹.

OTHER WORDS FROM biennial

bi·en·ni·al·ly, adverb

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH biennial

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

Words nearby biennial

Bielersee, Bielsko-Biała, bien entendu, Bien Hoa, Bienne, biennial, biennially, biennium, bien pensant, bienvenu, bienvenue

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

How to use biennial in a sentence

In 1974, three-quarters of Americans belonged to a membership organization such as a veteran’s group or a social club, according to the General Social Survey, a biennial national poll.
A brutal, isolating year leads to baffling battles between good and evil|Philip Bump|February 4, 2021|Washington Post
The former is used to select teams for international competitions like the biennial World Athletics Cross Country Championships and its race distances are determined accordingly.
Should Men and Women Race the Same Distance?|Martin Fritz Huber|January 27, 2021|Outside Online
So perhaps The Style Invitational’s biennial “joint legislation” contest, Week 1419, will give them — and us — something to smile about, and an introduction to their fellow freshmen.
Style Conversational Week 1419: A smile for the Capitol?|Pat Myers|January 14, 2021|Washington Post
Living for two years, each biennial plant forms a rosette of leaves during the first year of life, and a 3- to 8-foot tall flower stalk with yellow flowers during its second and final year of life.
13 edible plants you can still find in the winter|By Tim MacWelch/Outdoor Life|December 1, 2020|Popular-Science

Efforts to elect new LGBTQ members of Congress are underscored by the recent release of the Human Rights Campaign’s biennial congressional scorecard, for which a record number of 228 members of Congress earned a perfect “100” score.
Efforts to expand, diversify LGBTQ caucus in Congress a key mission for 2020|Chris Johnson|October 14, 2020|Washington Blade
If anything, Finley wants the Whitney Houston Biennial to inspire both the artists and the viewers.
The Art of Whitney Houston|Justin Jones|March 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
PERFORMA—the nearly month-long biennial celebrating the multi-faceted realm of performance art—is back for its fifth installment.
Nine Must-See Events at NYC’s Premier Performance Art Festival|The Daily Beast|November 6, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Those are results of the biennial Chicago Council on Global Affairs survey of public opinion on foreign policy (PDF).
Who Else Opposes An Iran Attack?|Ali Gharib|September 11, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Unfortunately, what it shows is that contemporary art no longer suits a standard biennial.
Whitney Museum’s Biennial: A Big Yawn|Blake Gopnik|March 1, 2012|DAILY BEAST
At the Biennial, only a very few artworks escape to stand on their own.
Whitney Museum’s Biennial: A Big Yawn|Blake Gopnik|March 1, 2012|DAILY BEAST
It is a biennial plant, with fleshy lobed wavy leaves that are covered with bluish bloom, and a fleshy cylindrical root.
The Sea Shore|William S. Furneaux
This is a hardy biennial, highly prized as a garnish, and as a pot-herb for flavoring soups and boiled dishes.
Soil Culture|J. H. Walden
This is a hardy biennial vegetable, resembling a small parsnip, and as easily grown.
Soil Culture|J. H. Walden
Two peduncles mostly come out of the upper sheath; some leaves are biennial.
Travels in the Interior of North America, 1832-1834, Part III (the Text Being Chapters XXVIII-XXXIII of the London Edition, 1843, and the Appendix a Combination of the Appendices of the London and German [Coblentz, 1839] Editions)|Maximilian, Prinz von Wied
I consider biennial elections as a security that the sober second thought of the people shall be law.
Through the Year With Famous Authors|Mabel Patterson

British Dictionary definitions for biennial

biennial

/ (baɪˈɛnɪəl) /

adjective

occurring every two years

lasting two yearsCompare biannual

noun

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 yearCompare annual (def. 3), perennial (def. 3)

an event that takes place every two years

Derived forms of biennial

biennially, 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

Scientific definitions for biennial

biennial

[ bī-ĕn′ē-əl ]

Adjective

Completing a life cycle normally in two growing seasons.

Noun

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. Compare annual perennial.

biennial

Origin of biennial

words often confused with biennial

OTHER WORDS FROM biennial

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH biennial

Words nearby biennial

Words related to biennial

How to use biennial in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for biennial

Derived forms of biennial

Scientific definitions for biennial