biennially

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'biennially' is a correct and usable word in written English.
It is an adverb that means "every two years." For example, "The museum holds a biennially exhibition showcasing some of its most celebrated artwork."

✓ Grammatically correct

Encyclopedias

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

33 human-written examples

David Auston, president of the Kavli Foundation, says there has to be a trade-off between recognising science that is current, and the need to be certain that it has been verified so that there is little doubt of its impact.The Kavli prizes will be awarded biennially and will consist of a scroll, a medal and $1m (the Nobel prize is worth about $1.3m).

The Economist

These culminate biennially in a large drama festival in Salt Lake City.

Encyclopedia Britannica

For example, the document was written at a time when towns and villages were days rather than minutes or hours apart, and, consequently, meetings of the legislature were held only biennially.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The Gray Panthers convened biennially, attracting delegates from as many as 70 local chapters.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Amateur boxing spread rapidly to other countries and resulted in several major international tournaments taking place annually, biennially, or, as in the case of the Olympic Games, every four years.

Encyclopedia Britannica

American economist who, in 2007, became the first woman to win the John Bates Clark (JBC) medal, the American Economic Association award granted biennially to the best economist under age 40 working in the United States.

Encyclopedia Britannica

In 1993 he received the John Bates Clark Medal, bestowed biennially on an outstanding American economist under age 40.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Nathaniel Mackey was awarded the Bollingen Prize for poetry for lifetime achievement, presented biennially by Yale University.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The World Conference, which meets biennially in Independence, is the supreme legislative body of the church, and all general administrative officers, including those of the first presidency, must receive its endorsement.

Encyclopedia Britannica

In 1877 he established the Bigsby Medal of the Geological Society of London to be awarded biennially to geologists under 45 years of age.

Encyclopedia Britannica

They occurred biennially, in the same years as the Isthmian Games, i.e., in the second and fourth years of each Olympiad.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "biennially" to clearly and concisely indicate that something occurs every two years. Ensure the context doesn't allow confusion with "biannually", which means twice a year.

Common error

Avoid confusing "biennially" (every two years) with "biannually" (twice a year). If there's a chance of ambiguity, use "every two years" instead of "biennially" to ensure clarity.

Linguistic Context

The adverb "biennially" functions primarily as an adverb of frequency, specifying how often an event or action occurs. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability in written English. It modifies verbs to indicate a two-year interval.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Encyclopedias

41%

News & Media

41%

Science

18%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "biennially" is a grammatically sound and usable adverb that signifies an event occurring every two years. According to Ludwig AI, it is correctly used in a variety of contexts, primarily in encyclopedias and news media. While it's often confused with "biannually", which means twice a year, using "every two years" can mitigate ambiguity. Remember to use "biennially" to add precision and clarity when expressing frequency, and be mindful of potential misinterpretations. As seen in the examples provided by Ludwig, it's a valuable term for formal writing and reporting.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

every two years

This alternative is a direct and simple substitute, clarifying the timeframe without using a specialized adverb.

occurring every other year

This alternative provides a more descriptive explanation of the frequency, suitable for contexts where clarity is paramount.

once every two years

This alternative is a more explicit and less formal way to express the same frequency.

biyearly

This alternative is a synonym but can sometimes be confused with "twice a year", so context is important.

every second year

This alternative emphasizes the alternating pattern of occurrence.

held every two years

This alternative is suitable when describing events or occurrences that are organized on a two-year cycle.

taking place every two years

This alternative is a more verbose but equally accurate description of the frequency.

in two-year intervals

This alternative focuses on the spacing or interval between occurrences.

on a two-year cycle

This alternative emphasizes the cyclical nature of the event or occurrence.

every other annum

This alternative uses a more formal term ("annum") for year, increasing the formality of the expression.

FAQs

What does "biennially" mean?

"Biennially" means every two years. It describes events or occurrences that happen once every two years.

How do I use "biennially" in a sentence?

You can use "biennially" to describe events like, "The conference is held "every two years"." or "The prize is awarded "once every two years".".

What is the difference between "biennially" and biannually?

"Biennially" means every two years, while biannually means twice a year. They are often confused, so it's best to use "every two years" or "twice a year" to avoid ambiguity.

What are some alternatives to the word "biennially"?

Alternatives to "biennially" include "every two years", "occurring every other year", or "once every two years".