twice

A2 Topic:Numbers & Quantity

Also spelled twyste

US /twaɪs/ See IPA manual

Freq #1225

Meanings

1

adv
Two times.

You should brush your teeth twice a day.
2

adv
Double in amount or degree.

This room is twice as big as the old one.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 adv · double in amount or degree. double doubly

More bistwicettwofold

Opposites

once thrice

Word family

Derived forms twice-borrowedtwice-exceptionaltwice-exceptionalitytwice-laidtwice-toldtwice-weeklytwice-yearly

Related forms frequency once thricetwo-time

Appears in

Idioms (1)

See all

think twice
to reconsider an action carefully before doing it

Proverbs (10)

See all

Etymology

From earlier twise, from Middle English twies, twiȝes, from Old English twīġes (“twice”), from twīwa, twīġa ("twice"; whence Middle English twie (“twice”)) + -es (adverbial genitive ending). Related to Saterland Frisian twäie (“twice”), Middle Low German twiges, twies (“twice”), Middle High German zwies (“twice”). Equivalent to twi- (“(in) two; both”) + -ce. Similarly constructed to the prefixes bis- and dis-, borrowed from Indo-European cognates.

twies Middle English twīġes Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Numbers & Quantity

External links

# twice

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** adv
**IPA (US):** /twaɪs/
**Frequency rank:** 1225

## Meanings
1. Two times.
2. Double in amount or degree.

## Examples
- You should brush your teeth twice a day.
- This room is twice as big as the old one.

## Synonyms
- bis
- double
- doubly
- twicet
- twofold

## Antonyms
- once
- thrice

## Derived Forms
- twice-borrowed
- twice-exceptional
- twice-exceptionality
- twice-laid
- twice-told
- twice-weekly
- twice-yearly

## Related Forms
- frequency
- once
- thrice
- two-time

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: twies
- Root: twīġes

## Etymology
From earlier twise, from Middle English twies, twiȝes, from Old English twīġes (“twice”), from twīwa, twīġa ("twice"; whence Middle English twie (“twice”)) + -es (adverbial genitive ending). Related to Saterland Frisian twäie (“twice”), Middle Low German twiges, twies (“twice”), Middle High German zwies (“twice”). Equivalent to twi- (“(in) two; both”) + -ce. Similarly constructed to the prefixes bis- and dis-, borrowed from Indo-European cognates.

## AI Etymology
Twice is from earlier twise, from Middle English twies, twiȝes, from Old English twīġes (“twice”), from twīwa, twīġa ("twice"; whence Middle English twie (“twice”)) + -es (adverbial genitive ending). Related to Saterland Frisian twäie (“twice”), Middle Low German twiges, twies (“twice”), Middle High German zwies (“twice”). Equivalent to twi- (“(in) two; both”) + -ce. Similarly constructed to the prefixes bis- and dis-, borrowed from Indo-European cognates. Derived formations include twice-borrowed, twice-exceptional, twice-exceptionality, twice-laid, twice-told, twice-weekly, twice-yearly.

## Topics
- Numbers & Quantity

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