biennial
- 01 C1 Advanced
adj.happening once every two years.
adj.occurring or taking place every other year; not to be confused with biannual.
Simple“The city hosts a biennial art festival that attracts visitors every second summer.”
In context“The association holds a biennial conference to review long-term strategic goals, ensuring members meet every two years to discuss progress.”
PitfallThe biannual festival happens every two years. The biennial festival happens every two years.Use 'biennial' for every two years; 'biannual' means twice in one year.
- 02 C2 Proficiency
adj.lasting for a period of two years.
adj.having a duration of two years; specifically used in biology to describe a life cycle.
Simple“The scientist studied the biennial life cycle of certain forest insects.”
In context“The research project focused on the biennial growth patterns of specific alpine shrubs that remain dormant during their first winter.”
Synonymstwo year - 03 C1 Advanced
n.a plant that takes two years to grow, flower, and then die.
n.a plant that completes its biological life cycle in two years, typically flowering in the second year.
Simple“Carrots are a common biennial, though we usually harvest them in their first year.”
In context“Gardeners often plant biennials like foxgloves in consecutive years to ensure they have blooms every summer.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
n.an event, like an art show or sports competition, that happens every two years.
n.an event that recurs every two years, most commonly used in the context of international art exhibitions.
Simple“She was invited to show her paintings at the Venice Biennial.”
In context“The city's photography biennial has become a major draw for international critics since its inception a decade ago.”
“Biennial sweet clover was also planted instead of the intended annual type, while fall rye persisted into the second year.”
“Meanwhile, India’s biennial forest report was due in 2025.”
Borrowed from Latin bienni(um) (“two-year period”) [from bis, bi- (“twice”) + annus (“year”)] + -al (suffix forming adjectives). By surface analysis, bi- + -ennial.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.