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bi-

 - 11 dictionary results

bi-

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


Origin:
< L, comb. form of bis; see twice


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).

bi-

2
var. of bio-, esp. before a vowel: biopsy.

bio-

a combining form meaning “life” occurring in loanwords from Greek (biography); on this model, used in the formation of compound words (bioluminescence).
Also, especially before a vowel, bi-.


Origin:
comb. form of Gk bíos life; akin to L vīvus living, Skt jīvas. See quick
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To bi-
bi- 1 or bin-  
pref.  
    1. Two: biform.

    2. Both: binaural.

    3. Both sides, parts, or directions: biconcave.

    4. Occurring at intervals of two: bicentennial.

    5. Usage Problem Occurring twice during: biweekly.

    6. Containing twice the proportion of a specified chemical element or group necessary for stability: bicarbonate.

    7. Containing two chemical atoms, radicals, or groups: biphenyl.

    1. Occurring at intervals of two: bicentennial.

    2. Usage Problem Occurring twice during: biweekly.

    3. Containing twice the proportion of a specified chemical element or group necessary for stability: bicarbonate.

    4. Containing two chemical atoms, radicals, or groups: biphenyl.

    1. Containing twice the proportion of a specified chemical element or group necessary for stability: bicarbonate.

    2. Containing two chemical atoms, radicals, or groups: biphenyl.


[Latin bis, bi-, twice, and bīnī, 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-.
bio- or bi-  
pref.  
  1. Life; living organism: biome.

  2. Biology; biological: biophysics.


[Greek, from bios, life; see gwei- in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

bi- 
"two, twice," etc., from L. bi-, from Old L. dvi- (cognate of Gk. di-, O.E. twi-).

bio- 
from Gk. bio-, comb. form of bios "life, course or way of living" (as opposed to zoe "animal life, organic life"), from PIE base *gweie- "to live" (cf. Skt. jivah "alive, living;" O.E. cwic "alive;" L. vivus "living, alive," vita "life;" M.Pers. zhiwak "alive;" O.C.S. zivo "to live;" Lith. gyvas "living, alive;" O.Ir. bethu "life," bith "age;" Welsh byd "world"). The correct usage is that in biography, but in modern science it has been extended to mean "organic life."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

bi- 1 or bin-
pref.

  1. Two: bilateral.

  2. Both: binaural.

  3. Both sides, parts, or directions: biconcave.

  4. Containing twice the proportion of a specified chemical element or group necessary for stability: bicarbonate.

  5. Containing two chemical atoms, radicals, or groups: biphenyl.

bi- 2
pref.
Variant of bio-.

bio- or bi-
pref.

  1. Life; living organism: biology.

  2. Biology; biological: biophysics.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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