Etymology Explorer › Latin

Where does “bi-” come from?

bi- (Latin) comes from Ancient Greek κύκλος, from Proto-Indo-European kʷékʷlos, from Proto-Indo-European kʷel- — to turn.

bi- (Latin): having two parts; occurring twice

Definitions

  1. having two parts; occurring twice

Ancestry of “bi-”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Ancient Greekκύκλοςcircle, ring; Any circular object, such as a...
2Proto-Indo-Europeankʷékʷloswheel; circle
3Proto-Indo-Europeankʷel-to turn

Words derived from “bi-”

  • balance
  • cycle
  • bike
  • bicycle
  • recycling
  • imbalance
  • cycling
  • motorcycle
  • bifurcation
  • recycle
  • counterbalance
  • biennial
  • cyclin
  • biker
  • motorbike
  • cyclist
  • cyclase
  • bifurcated
  • biped
  • recyclable
  • bipartite
  • unbalance
  • barouche
  • cyclotron
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷel- →