two-way

/ˈtu.weɪ/

adjective

Of a highway, allowing traffic in two directions.

Meanings

adjectivetwo-way (not comparable)
  1. not comparableroadOf a highway, allowing traffic in two directions.
  2. not comparableroadOf traffic or visibility, moving or occurring in opposite directions.
  3. not comparablebroadcastingPermitting communication in two directions, i.e. both transmitting and receiving.

    The inner power cars are brake second class compartment coaches; the guard has means of both bell and two-way telephone communication with the driving compartment.

    1960 September, “Inter-city diesel units for the Hull-Liverpool service of the N.E.R.”, in Trains Illustrated, page 560
  4. not comparableOf a project, treaty, etc., involving the mutual action or participation of two parties.
  5. not comparableeducationUtilising both Western and Indigenous knowledge systems; bothways.

    There are increasing examples of Indigenous-led research, and "two-way" collaborative research between scientists and Indigenous land custodians.

    2023 August 11, Sarah Legge, Libby Rumpff, Stephen T. Garnett, John C.Z. Woinarski, “Loss of terrestrial biodiversity in Australia: Magnitude, causation, and response”, in Science, volume 381, →DOI, page 8, column 3
  6. not comparableAmerican footballPlaying both offense and defense in the same game.
  7. not comparablemathematicsOf a table, etc., having or involving exactly two variables; bivariate.

    A two-way chart; a two-way table.

nountwo-way (plural two-ways)

plural two-ways

  1. CincinnatiA serving of Cincinnati chili with spaghetti.

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectivesupported by both sides

adjectiveinvolving two parts or elements

adjectiveoperating or permitting operation in either of two opposite directions

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From two + way. Compare Old English twiweġ (“an intersection, a junction of two roads”).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian двупосочен
  • двупосочен (dvuposočen)moving in both directions
Chinese Mandarin 双向的
  • 双向的moving in both directions
Czech obousměrný
  • obousměrnýmoving in both directions
Danish tovejs
  • tovejsmoving in both directions
Finnish kaksisuuntainen
  • kaksisuuntainenmoving in both directions
Greek αμφίδρομος
  • αμφίδρομος (amfídromos)moving in both directions
Latin bivius
  • biviusmoving in both directions
Norwegian Bokmål toveis
  • toveismoving in both directions
Polish dwukierunkowy
  • dwukierunkowymoving in both directions
Swedish dubbelriktad, tvåvägs
  • dubbelriktadmoving in both directions
  • tvåvägsmoving in both directions
Welsh dwyffordd
  • dwyfforddmoving in both directions
Cite this entry
APA

two-way. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/two-way

MLA

“two-way.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/two-way. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “two-way,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/two-way.

Source: two-way on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.