bi-

See also: Appendix:Variations of "bi"

English

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /baɪ-/, (rare) /bɪ-/

Etymology 1

PIE word
*dwóh₁

Borrowed from Latin bi-, from Proto-Italic *dwi-, from Proto-Indo-European *dwi-. Doublet of twi-.

Alternative forms

  • bin- (before some vowel-initial roots)
  • bis-

Prefix

Latin number prefix
Previous: uni-
Next: tri-

bi-

  1. Two in number.
    biarticular is affecting, or connecting two joints; biaxial is along two axes; bicoloured is of two colours
  2. Having or possessing two of the root word's quality.
    biangular is having two angles or corners, biantheriferous is having two anthers, bicardial is having two separate hearts, bikont is a eukaryotic cell with two flagella; thought to be the ancestor of all plants
  3. Both: referring to two as a set.
    biacetabular is relating to both acetabula, biallelic is of or pertaining to both alleles of a gene, bicaval is relating to both veins of the vena cava
  4. Being different in two ways with respect to the root.
    biadjoint is adjoint in two different ways, biaffine is affine in two different ways, biclonal is having cell markers from two different cell lines
  5. Forked, divided by two, halved; (chemistry, proscribed) half
    bifurcate is to divide or fork into two channels or branches, bicapitate is to divide something equally between two people or organisations, bicarinate is dividing into two points at the end
  6. Double, twofold.
    bialgebroid is a double algebroid, bifarious is twofold, double, biarticulated is doubly articulated
  7. (LGBT) Bisexual, relating to bisexuality.
    bicentric is having a bisexual bias or basis, biphobia is antipathy towards bisexuals, biromantic is romantically attracted to both males and females
  8. (anatomy) Bilateral, on both sides of the body.
    biconcave is having both sides concave, biballism is ballism that affects both sides of the body
  9. Twice.
    biannual is occurring twice a year, biannual is something occurring twice each year, biconjugate is paired twice
  10. Every two; a rate of once every two.
    biannual is occurring once every two years; biennial, bicentennial is occurring every two hundred (200) years
  11. A pair of; composed of two.
    bibrow is a pair of eyebrows which do not meet in the middle, as opposed to a unibrow, bicomplex is composed of a pair of complex numbers having certain defined properties
Usage notes

In an old, common method used to indicate the presence of an acidic hydrogen, sodium hydrogen sulfate is called "sodium bisulfate" and sodium hydrogen carbonate is called "sodium bicarbonate". This method is not recommended by IUPAC and does not denote a “doubling up” of a specific group, which is reserved for the Greek prefix di-, as in carbon dioxide (CO2).

The prefix bi in the older system comes from the observation that there is two times as much carbonate (CO3) in sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) and other bicarbonates as in sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) and other carbonates.

As a prefix for periods, bi- is ambiguously used to mean either “once every two periods” or “twice every period”; this is particularly acute for biweekly, bimonthly, and biannual. To avoid ambiguity, semi- or twice can be used to unambiguously mean “every half period” (thus twice every period) or “twice every period”, but there is no general way to refer unambiguously to “once every two periods”. In some cases a separate word is unambiguous, as in fortnightly (every two weeks), or biennial (every two years), but there is no word that unambiguously refers to “every two months”. Due to the ambiguity, some prefer to use explicit phrases, like “every two months” or “twice a month”.

Synonyms
Derived terms
English terms prefixed with bi-
Translations

Etymology 2

From Ancient Greek βίος (bíos, life).

Prefix

bi-

  1. (before a vowel) Alternative form of bio-
    biont is a living organism
Derived terms

Anagrams

Azerbaijani

Etymology

From Persian بی (bi).

Pronunciation

IPA(key): [bi]

Prefix

bi-

  1. (rarely productive) -less, un-, in-.
    Synonym: -siz

Derived terms

Azerbaijani terms prefixed with bi-

Catalan

Etymology

From Latin bis.

Pronunciation

Prefix

bi-

  1. bi-

Derived terms

Catalan terms prefixed with bi-

Further reading

Czech

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin bis.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [bɪ ]

Prefix

bi-

  1. bi-

Further reading

  • bi- in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého, 1960–1971, 1989

Danish

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [ˈb̥i]

Etymology 1

From German bei- (by-).

Prefix

bi-

  1. by-, side-
    Synonym: side-

Etymology 2

From Latin bis (twice).

Prefix

bi-

  1. bi-
    Synonyms: di-, tve-, dobbelt-

See also

Danish terms prefixed with bi-

Finnish

Etymology

Internationalism (see English bi-), ultimately from Latin bis.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈbi-/, [ˈbi-]

Prefix

bi-

  1. bi- (double, twin)
    Synonyms: see kaksois-

Derived terms

Category Finnish terms prefixed with bi- not found

French

Etymology

From Latin bis (twice).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /bi/
  • (file)

Prefix

bi-

  1. bi-

Derived terms

French terms prefixed with bi-

Galician

Etymology

From Latin bis.

Prefix

bi-

  1. bi-
    Synonyms: bi-, duo-

Derived terms

From

Galician terms prefixed with bi-

.

Further reading

German

Etymology

From Latin bis (twice).

Pronunciation

  • (file)

Prefix

bi-

  1. bi-

Derived terms

German terms prefixed with bi-

Gothic

Romanization

bi-

  1. Romanization of 𐌱𐌹-

Ido

Prefix

bi-

  1. bi-

Derived terms

Ido terms prefixed with bi-

Indonesian

Etymology

From Dutch bi-, from Latin bi-.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [bi]
  • Hyphenation: bi

Prefix

bi-

  1. bi-: two, pair, both.

Derived terms

Indonesian terms prefixed with bi-

Further reading

Irish

Prefix

bi-

  1. Alternative form of bith-, used before a slender T.

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical Lenition Eclipsis
bi- bhi- mbi-
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

Italian

Etymology

From Latin bis (twice).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /bi/
  • Hyphenation: bi-

Prefix

bi-

  1. bi-
  2. di-

Derived terms

Italian terms prefixed with bi-

Latin

Etymology

From Proto-Italic *dwi-, from Proto-Indo-European *dwi- (two-; twice-), prefix form corresponding to the numeral *dwóh₁ (two); the origin in PIE of the *i here is uncertain.[1]

Pronunciation

Prefix

bi-

  1. having two parts
  2. occurring twice

Derived terms

Latin terms prefixed with bi-

References

  • bi-”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
  • bi-” on page 231/3 of the Oxford Latin Dictionary (1st ed., 1968–82)
  1. De Vaan, Michiel (2008) “bi-”, in Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 71

Malay

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /bi-/
  • Hyphenation: bi-

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Persian بی.[1]

Prefix

bi- (Jawi spelling بی-)

  1. -less; prefix expressing the lack of the root word.
    bi- + adab (manners)biadab (impolite)
Usage notes
  • While there have been efforts to popularize the use of this prefix in scientific and technological coinages, currently, its range of use is very limited, and so, it is found only in a small number of words.

Etymology 2

From English bi-.[1]

Prefix

bi- (Jawi spelling بی-)

  1. bi-.
    bienialbiennial
Usage notes
  • This prefix is unproductive and is only found in loanwords borrowed from English which contain the prefix.

Derived terms

Malay terms prefixed with bi-

References

  1. Nik S. Farid M. Hashim H. & Abdul H. (2004). Tatabahasa dewan : edisi baharu. Dewama Sdn. Bhd.

Middle English

Etymology 1

Inherited from Old English be-, from Proto-West Germanic *bi-, from Proto-Germanic *bi-, from *bi-; compare by-.

The pronunciation /bi-/ (instead of expected /bə-/) is probably due to the influence of the preposition by.

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /bi-/

Prefix

bi-

  1. A prefix forming transitive verbs from any content word, often denoting completion or thoroughness.
  2. A prefix forming prepositions, often denoting adjacency, position, or relation.
Derived terms
Middle English terms prefixed with bi-
Descendants
  • English: be-
  • Scots: be-
References

Prefix

bi-

  1. Alternative form of by-

Prefix

bi-

  1. his, her, its, their

Usage notes

This prefix often corresponds to an English possessive ’s appended to the preceding word. For example, Diné bizaad means literally “the People their-language”, equivalent to “the People’s language” (i.e., Navajo language).

See also

Northern Kurdish

Prefix

bi-

  1. forms the affirmative subjunctive mood of verbs.

Norwegian Bokmål

Prefix

bi-

  1. by-, by, side
  2. bi-

See also

Norwegian Bokmål terms prefixed with bi-

References

Norwegian Nynorsk

Prefix

bi-

  1. by-, by, side
  2. bi-

See also

Norwegian Nynorsk terms prefixed with bi-

References

Ojibwe

Preverb

bi-

  1. this way, here, hither (toward the speaker)
    Bi-anokiin.
    Come and work.

See also

References

Old English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From (by, near, around).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈbiː/

Prefix

bī-

  1. near, around (compare Latin para-)
    bi- + namabīnama (pronoun)
    bi- + wordbīword (proverb, byword)

Usage notes

  • Occurred primarily in nouns.

Derived terms

Old English terms prefixed with bi-
  • bīgenga (inhabitant; observer; benefactor)
  • bīleofa (support, sustenance, nourishment, capital)
  • bīswæc (treachery)

Descendants

Old Saxon

Etymology 1

An unstressed form of , from Proto-West Germanic *bī-.

Prefix

bi-

  1. A productive prefix usually used to form verbs and adjectives, especially verbs with the sense “around, throughout” or makes transitive verbs from intransitive verbs, adjectives and nouns.
    bi- + brekanbibrekan (to break)
    bi- + brengianbibrengian (to accomplish)
    bi- + dēlianbidēlian (to deprive)
    bi- + delvanbidelvan (to bury)
    bi- + dempianbidempian (to suffocate)
    bi- + dernianbidernian (to conceal, to hide)
    bi- + dōdianbidōdian (to kill)
    bi- + drioganbidriogan (to deceive)
    bi- + drōragonbidrōragon (to bleed to death)
    bi- + dumbilianbidumbilian (to make a fool)
    bi- + *dwellianbidwellian (to hinder)
    bi- + fāhanbifāhan (to embrace, seize)
    bi- + fallanbifallan (to befall)
    bi- + felhanbifelhan (to recommend, give over, confide)
    bi- + fellianbifellian (to throw down)
    bi- + findanbifindan (to notice, find out)
    bi- + ganganbigān, bigangan (to celebrate)
    bi- + gehanbigehan (to dare, confess)
Derived terms
Old Saxon terms prefixed with bi-
Descendants

Etymology 2

From (by, near, around).

Prefix

bī-

  1. prefix meaning near, around (compare Latin para-), occurring primarily in nouns
    bi- + wordbīword (proverb, byword)
Derived terms
Old English terms prefixed with bi-
  • bīgengio (inhabitant)

Polish

Etymology

From Latin bis.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /bi/
  • (file)
  • Rhymes: -i
  • Syllabification: bi

Prefix

bi-

  1. bi-, two
    Synonyms: dwu-, di-, dy-
    bi- + -gamiabigamia

Derived terms

Polish terms prefixed with bi-

Further reading

  • bi- in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Portuguese

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin bis.

Prefix

bi-

  1. bi- (two-)

Derived terms

Portuguese terms prefixed with bi-

Spanish

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Latin bis (twice).

Prefix

bi-

  1. bi-
    Synonyms: di-, duo-

Derived terms

Spanish terms prefixed with bi-

Further reading

Swedish

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /bi/, [ˈb̥i]

Prefix

bi-

  1. by-, next to, near, by the side, aside; same as English by- and German bei-; see also the rare preposition bi
  2. bi-, two, dual; from Latin bis (twice)

Derived terms

Swedish terms prefixed with bi-

See also

References

Tooro

Alternative forms

  • (before vowels) by-

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *bí-.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /βi-/

Prefix

bi-

  1. class 8 pronominal concord
    bi- + -nu (this, these)binu (these (class 8))
  2. they; class 8 subject concord
    bi- + -kora (to do)bikora (they (class 8) do)
  3. positive imperative form of -bi- (them; class 8 object concord)
    bi- + -ha (to give)biha (give them (class 8))

See also

References

  • Kaji, Shigeki (2007) A Rutooro Vocabulary, Tokyo: Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa (ILCAA), →ISBN, page 414

Turkish

Etymology

Borrowed from Persian بی (bi).

Prefix

bi-

  1. (obsolete, unproductive) -less, un-, in-.
    Synonym: -siz

Derived terms

Turkish terms prefixed with bi-
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