biennial

American  

[bahy-en-ee-uhl] / baɪˈɛn i əl /

adjective

1. happening every two years.

   biennial games.

2. lasting or enduring for two years.

   a biennial life cycle.

3. Botany. completing its normal term of life in two years, flowering and fruiting the second year, as beets or winter wheat.

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noun

1. any event occurring once in two years.

2. Botany. a biennial plant.

biennial British  

/ baɪˈɛnɪəl /

adjective

1. occurring every two years

2. lasting two years Compare biannual

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noun

1. a plant, such as the carrot, that completes its life cycle within two years, developing vegetative storage parts during the first year and flowering and fruiting in its second year Compare annual perennial

2. an event that takes place every two years

biennial Scientific  

/ bī-ĕn′ē-əl /

1. Completing a life cycle normally in two growing seasons.

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1. A biennial plant. In the first year, biennials normally produce a short stem, a rosette of leaves, and a fleshy root that acts as food supply. In the second season, biennials blossom, produce seed, use up their food supply, and die. Carrots, parsnips, and sugar beets are examples of biennials.

2. Compare annual perennial

Commonly Confused

See bi- ¹.

Other Word Forms

• biennially adverb

Etymology

Origin of biennial

First recorded in 1615–25; bienni(um) + -al ¹

Example Sentences

The Public Defender’s Office has been conducting biennial audits of the Prison Service since 1999 as part of its role to protect the rights of detainees and prisoners.

From The Wall Street Journal

Organisers said the new biennial tournament signalled a "watershed moment for rugby union, years in the making" and would transform the two existing international playing windows, in July and November.

From Barron's

Next month, the two nations will participate in a large biennial exercise, called Talisman Sabre, that will involve more than 30,000 personnel from 19 nations.

From The Wall Street Journal

On Sunday, Mr. Lowry made the key putt giving the Europeans their second straight victory in the biennial competition.

From The Wall Street Journal

This biennial competition that pits the U.S. against Europe can feel more like the soccer World Cup than the Masters.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• flower
• grass
• herb
• seedling
• shrub
• tree
• vine
• weed