Biennial
Noun
- A plant that takes two years to grow from seed to fruition and die. Compare with “annual,” “perennial.”
- An event celebrated or taking place every two years.
Adjective
- Taking place every other year.
- (Especially of a plant) Living or lasting for two years.
Example Sentences
“The art museum holds a biennial reception for members.”
“I don’t want to plant every year, so I try to choose biennials for my landscaping.”
“At the biennial reception, I saw friends I hadn’t seen in two years.”
Word Origin
Latin, early 17th century
Why this word?
“Biennial” is based on the Latin term “biennis,” which combines “bi-,” meaning “two,” and “annus,” meaning “year.” This term means “every other year,” but it’s often confused with “biannual,” which means “twice a year.” In the contemporary art world, “biennial” describes art exhibitions that occur every two years. The tradition started with the Venice Biennale, founded in 1895. Today, “biennales” — Italian for “biennials” — refers to a series of major art shows that take place every two years in cities including New York City, Shanghai, Moscow, Vancouver, Jakarta, Havana, and Adelaide.