Meanings
adjectivebidirectional (not comparable)
alternative bi-directional
- not comparableMoving in two directions (usually opposite).
- not comparableOperating or functioning in two directions (usually opposite).
We built a live bidirectional translation service between Claudish and plain English.
2026, Yuntian Deng, Pengyu Nie, Stuart Shieber, “Compile by Training: Turning Natural-Language Specifications into Local Neural Functions”, in arXiv, page 6, archived from the original on 04 Sep 20261 more example
However, statistical modelling paints a different picture. We found that the influence of mental health and ideology on harmful attitudes and beliefs was two-and-a-half times stronger than networking. We also found that mental health and ideology shared a potential bidirectional relationship, with poor mental health causing greater buy-in to ideology and vice versa.
2024 February 27, Andrew G. Thomas, “Incels Uncovered: How Potent Is the Black Pill?”, in Psychology Today
nounbidirectional (plural bidirectionals)
plural bidirectionals · alternative bi-directional
- Such an antenna or microphone
Synonyms & antonyms
Opposite
adjectivereactive or functioning or allowing movement in two usually opposite directions
Opposite
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*dwóh₁
- Proto-Indo-European*dwi-
- Proto-Italic*dwi-
- Latinbi-
- Englishbi-
- Englishdirection
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
- Englishdirectional
- Englishbidirectional
From bi- + directional.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian двупосо́чен
- двупосо́чен (dvuposóčen)operating or functioning in two directions (usually opposite)
Chinese Mandarin 雙向 /双向
- 雙向 /双向 (shuāngxiàng)moving in two directions (usually opposite)
Czech dvousměrný, dvousměrný
- dvousměrnýmoving in two directions (usually opposite)
- dvousměrnýoperating or functioning in two directions (usually opposite)
Danish bidirektional, toretnings-
- bidirektionalmoving in two directions (usually opposite)
- toretnings-moving in two directions (usually opposite)
- bidirektionaloperating or functioning in two directions (usually opposite)
- toretnings-operating or functioning in two directions (usually opposite)
Dutch bidirectioneel, tweerichtings-
- bidirectioneelmoving in two directions (usually opposite)
- tweerichtings-moving in two directions (usually opposite)
- bidirectioneeloperating or functioning in two directions (usually opposite)
- tweerichtings-operating or functioning in two directions (usually opposite)
Finnish kaksisuuntainen, kaksisuuntainen
- kaksisuuntainenmoving in two directions (usually opposite)
- kaksisuuntainenoperating or functioning in two directions (usually opposite)
French bidirectionnel, bidirectionnel
- bidirectionnelmoving in two directions (usually opposite)
- bidirectionneloperating or functioning in two directions (usually opposite)
German bidirektional, bidirektional
- bidirektionalmoving in two directions (usually opposite)
- bidirektionaloperating or functioning in two directions (usually opposite)
Greek αμφίδρομος
- αμφίδρομος (amfídromos)operating or functioning in two directions (usually opposite)
Hungarian kétirányú
- kétirányúoperating or functioning in two directions (usually opposite)
Icelandic tvíbeind, tvíbeind
- tvíbeindmoving in two directions (usually opposite)
- tvíbeindoperating or functioning in two directions (usually opposite)
Italian bidezionale, bidezionale
- bidezionalemoving in two directions (usually opposite)
- bidezionaleoperating or functioning in two directions (usually opposite)
Japanese 双方向の
- 双方向の (sōhōkō no)moving in two directions (usually opposite)
Norwegian bidireksjonal, toretnings-
- bidireksjonalmoving in two directions (usually opposite)
- toretnings-moving in two directions (usually opposite)
- bidireksjonaloperating or functioning in two directions (usually opposite)
- toretnings-operating or functioning in two directions (usually opposite)
Polish dwukierunkowy, dwukierunkowy
- dwukierunkowymoving in two directions (usually opposite)
- dwukierunkowyoperating or functioning in two directions (usually opposite)
Portuguese bidirecional, bidirecional
- bidirecionalmoving in two directions (usually opposite)
- bidirecionaloperating or functioning in two directions (usually opposite)
Russian двунапра́вленный, двухсторо́нний
- двунапра́вленный (dvunaprávlennyj)moving in two directions (usually opposite)
- двухсторо́нний (dvuxstorónnij)moving in two directions (usually opposite)
- двунапра́вленный (dvunaprávlennyj)operating or functioning in two directions (usually opposite)
Spanish bidireccional, bidireccional
- bidireccionalmoving in two directions (usually opposite)
- bidireccionaloperating or functioning in two directions (usually opposite)
Swedish bidirektionell, dubbelriktad
- bidirektionellmoving in two directions (usually opposite)
- dubbelriktadmoving in two directions (usually opposite)
- tvåvägs-moving in two directions (usually opposite)
- bidirektionelloperating or functioning in two directions (usually opposite)
- dubbelriktadoperating or functioning in two directions (usually opposite)
- tvåvägs-operating or functioning in two directions (usually opposite)
Welsh dwyffordd, dwyffordd
- dwyfforddmoving in two directions (usually opposite)
- dwyfforddoperating or functioning in two directions (usually opposite)
Cite this entry
APA
bidirectional. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bidirectional
MLA
“bidirectional.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bidirectional. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “bidirectional,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bidirectional.
Source: bidirectional on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.