BIENNIAL
Dictionary entry overview: What does biennial mean?
• BIENNIAL (noun)
The noun BIENNIAL has 1 sense:
1. 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
Familiarity information: BIENNIAL used as a noun is very rare.
• BIENNIAL (adjective)
The adjective BIENNIAL has 2 senses:
1. occurring every second year
2. having a life cycle lasting two seasons
Familiarity information: BIENNIAL used as an adjective is rare.
Dictionary entry details
• BIENNIAL (noun)
Meaning:
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
Classified under:
Nouns denoting plants
Hypernyms ("biennial" is a kind of...):
flora; plant; plant life (a living organism lacking the power of locomotion)
• BIENNIAL (adjective)
Meaning:
Occurring every second year
Classified under:
Relational adjectives (pertainyms)
Synonyms:
biennial; biyearly
Context example:
they met at biennial conventions
Pertainym:
year (a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days)
Meaning:
Having a life cycle lasting two seasons
Synonyms:
two-year; biennial
Context examples:
a biennial life cycle / parsnips and carrots are biennial plants often grown as annuals
Domain category:
botany; phytology (the branch of biology that studies plants)
Antonym:
annual (completing its life cycle within a year)
perennial (lasting three seasons or more)
