Where does “biannual” come from?
Biannual comes from English bi- combined with Latin annualis, itself formed from Latin annus meaning "year" plus the Latin suffix -alis, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European dwóh₁ meaning "two."
biannual (English): Occurring twice a year; semiannual; Occurring...
Definitions
- Occurring twice a year; semiannual; Occurring...
Ancestry of “biannual”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | bi- | API; two, paired, both; half |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | βίος | life |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | Γένεσις | — |
| 4 | Proto-Hellenic | génetis | origin, source |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵénh₁tis | birth, production |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵenh₁- | to produce, to beget, to give birth |
Words derived from “biannual”