Meanings
- not comparableHappening every two years.
This is a marked difference from the task force’s previous guidance, which was to start biennial mammograms by age 50.
2024 May 8, Katia Hetter, “Mammograms are now recommended starting at age 40. Should you get one?”, in CNN, archived from the original on 14 May 2024 - not comparableLasting for two years.
plural biennials
- An event that happens every two years.
The famous Biennial was won by Earl of Dartrey, a light, peacocky horse, who was, perhaps, better than he looked.
1891, Sir George Chetwynd, Racing Reminiscences and Experiences of the Turf, page 122
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveoccurring every second year
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinbienni(um)“two-year period”
- Englishbiennial
Borrowed from Latin bienni(um) (“two-year period”) [from bis, bi- (“twice”) + annus (“year”)] + -al (suffix forming adjectives). By surface analysis, bi- + -ennial.
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian двугоди́шен
- двугоди́шен (dvugodíšen)happening every two years
Catalan biennal, bianual
- biennalhappening every two years
- bianualhappening every two years
Chinese Mandarin 二年生植物
- 二年生植物 (èrniánshēng zhíwù)plant
Dutch tweejaarlijks
- tweejaarlijkshappening every two years
Finnish joka toinen vuosi tapahtuva, kaksivuotinen
- joka toinen vuosi tapahtuvahappening every two years
- kaksivuotinenlasting for two years
- biennaalievent
French bisannuel, biennal
- bisannuelhappening every two years
- biennalhappening every two years
- biennallasting for two years
- bisannuelleplant
German biennal, zweijährlich
- biennalhappening every two years
- zweijährlichhappening every two years
- biennallasting for two years
- zweijähriglasting for two years
Greek διετής
- διετής (dietís)lasting for two years
Irish débhliantúil, débhliantúil
- débhliantúilhappening every two years
- débhliantúillasting for two years
- débhliantógplant
Italian biennale, biennale
- biennalehappening every two years
- biennaleevent
Japanese 二年ごとの, 二年間続く
- 二年ごとの (ninen goto no)happening every two years
- 二年間続く (ninenkan tsuzuku)lasting for two years
- 二年生のlasting for two years
Polish codwuroczny, codwuletni
- codwurocznyhappening every two years
- codwuletnihappening every two years
- dwurocznylasting for two years
- dwuletnilasting for two years
Portuguese bienal, bienal
- bienalhappening every two years
- bienallasting for two years
Romanian bienal, bienal
- bienalhappening every two years
- bienallasting for two years
Russian двухгоди́чный, двухле́тний
- двухгоди́чный (dvuxgodíčnyj)happening every two years
- двухле́тний (dvuxlétnij)lasting for two years
Scottish Gaelic dà bhliadhnail, dà bhliadhnail
- dà bhliadhnailhappening every two years
- dà bhliadhnaillasting for two years
- lus dà bhliadhnailplant
Slovak bienále
- bienáleevent
Spanish bienal, bienal
- bienalhappening every two years
- bienallasting for two years
Swedish biennal
- biennalevent
Turkish bienal
- bienalevent
Ukrainian дворі́чний, дволі́тній
- дворі́чний (dvoríčnyj)happening every two years
- дволі́тній (dvolítnij)happening every two years
- дворі́чний (dvoríčnyj)lasting for two years
- дволі́тній (dvolítnij)lasting for two years
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with biennial
All rhymes →Cite this entry
biennial. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/biennial
“biennial.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/biennial. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “biennial,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/biennial.
Source: biennial on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.