Does the bi prefix mean that it is every second month or twice a month?
Asked
Active
Viewed 498 times
-1
-
1It works both ways: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bimonthly. – RK01 Jul 28 '15 at 17:55
-
So it is ambiguous? – Neil Meyer Jul 28 '15 at 17:56
-
2It's confusing enough that the term is best avoided altogether. – phoog Jul 28 '15 at 17:56
-
Semi-monthly would be more syntactically correct for twice a month, but bimonthly is the one commonly used. As RK01 points out, bimonthly should mean every two months, but with usage it has come to mean both. – IchabodE Jul 28 '15 at 18:02
-
Discussed already here: http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/18540/biweekly-bimonthly-biannual-and-bicentennial – Sankarane Jul 28 '15 at 18:04
-
I just wonder why that thread did not come up when I asked the question? – Neil Meyer Jul 28 '15 at 18:06
-
@NeilMeyer: I don't know, but if I put "bimonthly" in the search box, the second result is the previously-answered question. – Marthaª Jul 28 '15 at 18:10
1 Answers
2
Yes, the prefix means two, so bimonthly can mean twice a month or every second month. Always use context, look at the sentence or the surrounding paragraph. That should help you figure out which meaning is being used.
Ashesgyl
- 36