bi

[ bahy ]

adjective, noun,plural bis, bi's.
  1. Slang. bisexual.

Origin of bi

1
By shortening

Other definitions for Bi (2 of 5)

Bi

Symbol, Chemistry.
  1. bismuth.

Other definitions for BI (3 of 5)

BI

abbreviation

Other definitions for bi- (4 of 5)

bi-1

  1. a combining form meaning “twice,” “two,” used in the formation of compound words: bifacial; bifarious.

Origin of bi-

4
<Latin, combining form of bis;see twice

confusables note For bi-

All words except biennial referring to periods of time and prefixed by bi-1 are potentially ambiguous. Since bi- can be taken to mean either “twice each” or “every two,” a word like biweekly can be understood as “twice each week” or “every two weeks.” To avoid confusion, it is better to use the prefix semi- to mean “twice each” ( semiannual; semimonthly; semiweekly ) or the phrase twice a or twice each ( twice a month; twice a week; twice each year ), and for the other sense to use the phrase every two ( every two months; every two weeks; every two years ).

Other definitions for bi- (5 of 5)

bi-2

  1. variant of bio-, especially before a vowel: biopsy.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use bi in a sentence

  • During the first ten years the sessions were bi-annual, but since 1895 have been held every five years.

  • It seems to me, Hinnissy, that this here thing called bi-ography is a kind iv an offset f'r histhry.

    Mr. Dooley Says | Finley Dunne
  • Histhry lies on wan side, an' bi-ography comes along an' makes it rowl over an' lie on th' other side.

    Mr. Dooley Says | Finley Dunne
  • Th' on'y bi-ography I care about is th' one Mulligan th' stone-cutter will chop out f'r me.

    Mr. Dooley Says | Finley Dunne
  • I like Mulligan's style, f'r he's no flatthrer, an' he has wan model iv bi-ography that he uses f'r old an' young, rich an' poor.

    Mr. Dooley Says | Finley Dunne

British Dictionary definitions for bi (1 of 5)

bi1

/ (baɪ) /


adjective, noun

British Dictionary definitions for bi (2 of 5)

bi2

the internet domain name for
  1. Burundi

British Dictionary definitions for Bi (3 of 5)

Bi

the chemical symbol for
  1. bismuth

British Dictionary definitions for bi- (4 of 5)

bi-1

combining form
  1. two; having two: bifocal

  2. occurring every two; lasting for two: biennial

  1. on both sides, surfaces, directions, etc: bilateral

  2. occurring twice during: biweekly

    • denoting an organic compound containing two identical cyclic hydrocarbon systems: biphenyl

    • (rare in technical usage) indicating an acid salt of a dibasic acid: sodium bicarbonate

    • (not in technical usage) equivalent of di- 1 (def. 2a)

Origin of bi-

4
from Latin, from bis twice

British Dictionary definitions for bi- (5 of 5)

bi-2

combining form
  1. a variant of bio-

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for Bi

Bi

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.