Although it’s mostly used to refer to a “twice monthly” occurrence, it’s important to provide context when using this word to explain which definition you’re using. A biweekly meeting with your manager takes place once every two weeks unless otherwise specified. British people use the word fortnight—which derives from the old English word for “fourteen nights”—to refer to events that occur once every two weeks. So while most people use it to mean once every two weeks, both definitions are grammatically correct.

My mission is to help you improve your grammar, communication, and writing skills with clarity and confidence. It’s an excellent option, and one that many writers seem to embrace; we most often see bimonthly and biweekly reserved for their “every two” meanings. To add biweekly to a word list please sign up or log in. Biweekly means twice a week or once every other week, though it’s more commonly used biweekly meaning to refer to the latter. Although not as commonly used, biweekly may also refer to a magazine or newspaper that publishes once every two weeks. Another synonym for biweekly is semiweekly, which means “twice a week.” The prefix semi- means half or partially.

Whether describing a pay schedule, publication frequency, or a project timeline, choosing between “bi-weekly” and “biweekly” ensures linguistic accuracy. Navigating the linguistic labyrinth of “biweekly” or “bi-weekly” can be perplexing. I hope this clears up the confusion around “biweekly” vs. “bi weekly.” Stay precise, stay clear, and happy communicating!

Have you ever been confused about whether to write “biweekly” or “bi weekly”? Whether it’s editing, consultation, or practical writing tips, my mission is to make every word count and every message stand out. Remember, language is about communication, so always prioritize clarity. Understanding the nuances of “biweekly” can seem complicated, but with the right approach, you can use it confidently. To help you master “biweekly” and its nuances, here are some engaging exercises.

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Keep practicing these tips, and you’ll avoid common pitfalls while enhancing your language skills. Rich vocabulary helps paint a clearer picture, reduces ambiguity, and elevates your writing style. It can also mean once every two weeks, which is the more common interpretation. By signing up, you agree to the our terms and our Privacy Policy agreement.

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This term is more commonly used in British English and formal or literary contexts to mean every two weeks. Let’s explore how “biweekly” and its variations can be used across different contexts. Why is understanding and using “biweekly” correctly important? Today, I’ll clear up the confusion, explain the differences, and give you practical tips so you can use “biweekly” confidently in your writing.

Meaning of biweekly in English

• Our mission is to help students, teachers, and lifelong learners strengthen their language skills through clear lessons, practical examples, and easy-to-follow tips.
• Look up the adjective biweekly in this dictionary and you will see it defined as “occurring every two weeks” AND as “occurring twice a week.” Similarly, the adjective bimonthly is defined as “occurring every two months” AND as “occurring twice a month.”
• It can be confusing due to its ambiguity, as it can be interpreted as either happening twice a week or once every two weeks.
• Whether it’s editing, consultation, or practical writing tips, my mission is to make every word count and every message stand out.
• For example, a pay schedule labeled as biweekly may be mistaken as semi-monthly, which happens twice a month on fixed dates.
• Biweekly as one word without a hyphen is the correct version.

E.g., “They publish a magazine biweekly.” Furthermore, you can use bi-weekly for the adjective, but it is unnecessary. E.g., “It is a biweekly publication.” In addition, biweekly can be an adverb. Remember, the hyphen is the guiding beacon in the linguistic labyrinth of “bi-weekly.”

All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. As writer or speaker, you can choose to avoid ambiguity by using a semi- compound when you mean “two times per,” or by using a phrase instead of a single word. Those meanings exist, and we cannot ignore them. For, as anyone who pays attention to our work surely recognizes, we are at the mercy of the language. Remember that bi- can also mean “occurring every two,” so bicentennial means “occurring every 200 years.” The prefix bi- can also be found in bicentennial, which means the 200th anniversary of something.

Categories Where “Biweekly” or “Bi Weekly” Can Be Used

• Misusing “biweekly” can lead to missed deadlines, scheduling conflicts, and misunderstandings in both personal and business settings.
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• That’s all there is to know about the terms biweekly, bi-weekly, and biweekly.
• Clear, precise communication boosts professionalism.
• Today, I’ll clear up the confusion, explain the differences, and give you practical tips so you can use “biweekly” confidently in your writing.
• As the following examples show, the other words in the sentence indicate which of the two meanings biweekly has.

Clarity on this topic isn’t just about grammar; it also affects how you communicate plans, schedules, and even work-related deadlines. ” If you’ve ever been unsure about whether to write it as one word or two, don’t worry—you’re not alone. It can be confusing due to its ambiguity, as it can be interpreted as either happening twice a week or once every two weeks. To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Weekly is an adjective or adverb, depending on its usage, that means once a week. Having Payroll and Time Tracking in BambooHR makes gathering hourly payroll information and submitting it correctly much simpler. Sign up (it’s free!) to see how BambooHR saves you time and money by combining multiple systems into one complete HR platform. Since every calendar year has 52 weeks, this results in a total of 26 paychecks per year.

The standard way of writing the term is as one word without a hyphen, although some people do use a hyphen and it is acceptable. Furthermore, in the above examples, biweekly is an adjective that describes a noun. Biweekly as one word without a hyphen is the correct version. The usage of “bi-weekly” maintains consistency between UK and US English.

However intractable the English language may at times be, it can be helpful to remember the many cases in which the language is not ambiguous, in which its offerings include words that refer to precise gradations or fine distinctions. A semiweekly meeting, on the other hand, occurs twice a week. Biweekly is most often used in professional settings to describe the frequency of meetings or how often workers are paid. Hyphens are not used after the prefix bi- unless the root word starts with the letter I. Biweekly may also be used as a noun to describe a newspaper or magazine that prints once every two weeks. It’s important to provide context as to which definition you’re using when developing a meeting agenda or other documents for other people.

Many people struggle with this tiny but tricky term. We provide expert grammar guidance, editing services, and practical writing tips designed to make every sentence impactful. At GrammarConsult.com, we believe that strong communication starts with strong grammar.

So, next time you see or write “biweekly,” you’ll know exactly what it means—and how to use it correctly! When you use “biweekly” multiple times in a paragraph, keep the order consistent to avoid confusion. Over time, the usage of ‘biweekly’ to mean ‘once every two weeks’ has become more common in English language usage.

Biweekly and bimonthly each have a pair of meanings that are unhelpfully at odds with one another. Definition of biweekly adjective from the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary In both cases, it’s commonly understood to mean twice monthly or once every other week, usually taking place on the same day of the week. Biweekly is most commonly used to refer to the cadence of meetings or paychecks. Biweekly means both, but most American English speakers use it to refer to something occurring every other week or twice monthly. In this case, the prefix bi- us is used to mean “occurring twice.” Use the word biennial to describe events occurring once every two years.

Today, I’m going to break down everything you need to know—so you can write with confidence and clarity! Agree to the our terms and policy agreement. Our mission is to help writers, students, and professionals express their ideas with clarity, accuracy, and confidence. Through my work, I help writers, students, and professionals polish their grammar, refine their style, and express their ideas with confidence. Keep practicing, stay precise, and happy writing!

English dictionary and learning for French speakers Hopefully, you are no longer in doubt about the grammar rules! This is probably because they assume it is a compound word that has hyphens. In addition, it refers to things that happen twice per week. First, it can refer to events that happen every two weeks or fortnightly. The consistency in usage across UK and US English simplifies its application.