biyearly

American  

[bahy-yeer-lee] / baɪˈyɪər li /

adjective

1. biennial.

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adverb

1. every two years; biennially; biannually.

2. twice yearly.

biyearly British  

/ baɪˈjɪəlɪ /

adjective

1. every two years; biennial or biennially

2. (often avoided because of confusion with sense 1) twice a year; biannual or biannually See bi- 1

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Usage

What does biyearly mean? Biyearly can mean two things: occurring once every two years or occurring twice per year. Biyearly is a synonym of biannual (and biannually), which can also be used to mean every two years or twice per year. Biyearly can also mean “lasting for two years,” but this meaning is rarely used. Examples:

• The Olympic Games occur biyearly, meaning they happen every two years.
• This is a biyearly meeting—we have it in April and October.

Commonly Confused

See bi- ¹.

Etymology

Origin of biyearly

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

Example Sentences

I packed our chipped console away and waited for his biyearly return.

From The Verge • Aug. 11, 2022

This lineup follows Apple’s traditional biyearly cycle, with a “big” hardware launch every other year followed by a more iterative, software-driven launch the following year.

From Slate • Nov. 15, 2017