biannual

C2+ Topic:Time

US /baɪˈænjuəl/ UK /baɪˈænjuəl/ See IPA manual

adj

Meanings

1

adj
occurring twice a year

The society holds a biannual review of its bylaws.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · occurring twice a year semiannualsemiyearlybiyearly

Word family

Derived forms biannually

Related forms annual biennial

Etymology

From Latin bi- ('two, twice') + annual, from Latin annuālis, from annus ('year').

bi- Latin annus Latin

View etymology graph ->

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Time Word Formation & Derivatives

# biannual

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** baɪˈænjuəl
**IPA (UK):** baɪˈænjuəl

## Meanings
1. occurring twice a year

## Examples
- The society holds a biannual review of its bylaws.

## Synonyms
- semiannual
- semiyearly
- biyearly

## Derived Forms
- biannually

## Related Forms
- annual
- biennial

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: bi-
- Root: annus

## Etymology
From Latin bi- ('two, twice') + annual, from Latin annuālis, from annus ('year').

## AI Etymology
Biannual comes from Latin bi- ('two, twice') + annual, from Latin annuālis, from annus ('year'). The historical trail runs through bi- in Latin and annus in Latin. Morphologically, biannual is transparent: it draws on Latin bi- ('two, twice') + annual, from Latin annuālis, from annus ('year'). Used as an adjective, biannual now means "occurring twice a year", so the present definition can be read against the older forms and meanings. The same lexical family is also visible in derived forms such as biannually and related forms such as annual and biennial. The result is a borrowed or transmitted form whose modern spelling carries a compact record of its route into English.

## Topics
- Time
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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biannual

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