biennial

Pluralbiennials

1. 1
   every two yearsadjective

   Occurring once every two years.

   The committee publishes a biennial report on the health of the river.

   Patients at low risk can usually move from yearly to biennial screening.

   UsageBiennial means every two years; biannual usually means twice a year.

2. 2
   nouncountable

   An event that takes place once every two years.

   Her paintings were the talk of last year's biennial.

   The city now hosts two biennials, one for architecture and one for contemporary art.

   Similarbiennale

   Note

   As a noun the word easily turns into a name, written with a capital. Sir George Chetwynd, in Racing Reminiscences and Experiences of the Turf (1891), recalls a horse race simply called the Biennial, won by a horse named Earl of Dartrey. Today the lowercase noun is more familiar from art and architecture shows, and it takes a plural freely: a city can host two biennials.

3. 3
   plantnouncountable

   A plant that takes two years to complete its life cycle, usually flowering, setting seed and dying in the second year.

   Parsley is a biennial, though most cooks pull it up after the first season.

   Because biennials flower only once, gardeners sow them two years running to keep the border in color.

4. 4
   adjective

   Lasting for a period of two years.

   Lawmakers approved a biennial budget that funds state agencies through the next two fiscal years.

   Foxgloves are biennial, so each plant lives only two growing seasons.

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