biennial adj

1 occurring every second year; "they met at biennial conventions" [syn: biyearly]

2 having a life cycle lasting two seasons; "a biennial life cycle"; "parsnips and carrots are biennial plants often grown as annuals" [syn: two-year] [ant: perennial, annual] n : a plant having a life cycle that normally takes two seasons from germination to death to complete; flowering biennials usually bloom and fruit in the second season

English

Etymology

From Latin biennium ("two-year period") from bi- + annus'' ("year").

Pronunciation

Adjective

1. Occurring every two years.
2. Living for two years.

Translations

• German: zweijährig

See also

• biannual
• semiannual

Noun

1. A plant that requires two years to complete its life-cycle, germinating and growing in its first year, then producing its flowers and fruit in its second year, after which it usually dies.

See also

• annual
• perennial

Biennial may refer to:

• an event that occurs every two years
• a biennial plant, a plant which blooms every two years
• a biennale, an art exhibition held every two years

See also

• anniversary (for all other Latin-derived numerical names)
• triennial, an event that occurs every three years

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