| bi- 1 or bin- pref. 1. a. Two: biform. b. Both: binaural. c. Both sides, parts, or directions: biconcave. 2. a. Occurring at intervals of two: bicentennial. b. Usage Problem Occurring twice during: biweekly. 3. a. Containing twice the proportion of a specified chemical element or group necessary for stability: bicarbonate. b. Containing two chemical atoms, radicals, or groups: biphenyl. [Latin bis, bi-, twice, and b  n, two by two; see dwo- in Indo-European roots.]Usage Note: Bimonthly and biweekly mean "once every two months" and "once every two weeks." For "twice a month" and "twice a week," the words semimonthly and semiweekly should be used. Since there is a great deal of confusion over the distinction, a writer is well advised to substitute expressions like every two months or twice a month where possible. However, each noun form has only one sense in the publishing world. Thus, a bimonthly is published every two months, and a biweekly every two weeks. |
| bi- 2 pref. Variant of bio-. |
bi-1 sometimes before a vowel, bin-
combining form
1. two; having two bifocal
2. occurring every two; lasting for two biennial
3. on both sides, surfaces, directions, etc. bilateral
4. occurring twice during biweekly
5.
a. denoting an organic compound containing two identical cyclic hydrocarbon systems biphenyl
b. (rare in technical usage) indicating an acid salt of a dibasic acid sodium bicarbonate
c. (not in technical usage) equivalent of di-1 [2a]
[from Latin, from bis twice]
bi-2
combining form
a variant of bio-
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