bifacial

[ bahy-fey-shuhl ]

adjective

1. having two faces or fronts.
2. Archaeology. having the opposite surfaces alike, as some tools.

bifacial

/ baɪˈfeɪʃəl /

adjective

1. having two faces or surfaces
2. botany (of leaves, etc) having upper and lower surfaces differing from each other
3. archaeol (of flints) flaked by percussion from two sides along the chopping edge

bifacial

/ bī-fā′shəl /

1. Flaked in such a way as to produce a cutting edge that is sharp on both sides. Used of a stone tool.
2. ◆ Bifacial tools are known as a bifaces and include such early core tools as hand axes and cleavers as well as later flake tools such as blades and spear or arrow points.
3. Compare unifacial

Other Words From

• bi·facial·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of bifacial¹

First recorded in 1880–85; bi- ¹ + facial

Example Sentences

It is a large bifacial tool, battered on the slightly fashioned working edge, of basalt and patinated.

From Project Gutenberg