[syn: biennial, biyearly]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Cyclic \Cyc"lic\ (s?k"l?k or s?"kl?k), Cyclical \Cyc"lic*al\
(s?k"l?-kal), a. [Cf. F. cycluque, Gr. kykliko`s, fr. ky`klos
See Cycle.]
1. Of or pertaining to a cycle or circle; moving in cycles;
as, cyclical time. --Coleridge.
[1913 Webster]
2. (Chemistry) Having atoms bonded to form a ring structure.
Opposite of acyclic.
Note: Used most commonly in respect to organic compounds.
Note: [Narrower terms: bicyclic; heterocyclic;
homocyclic, isocyclic]
Syn: closed-chain, closed-ring.
[WordNet 1.5]
3. Recurring in cycles[2]; having a pattern that repeats at
approximately equal intervals; periodic. Opposite of
noncyclic.
Note: [Narrower terms: alternate(prenominal),
alternating(prenominal); alternate(prenominal), every
other(prenominal), every second(prenominal);
alternating(prenominal), oscillating(prenominal);
biyearly; circadian exhibiting 24-hour
periodicity); circular; daily, diurnal;
fortnightly, biweekly; hourly; midweek,
midweekly; seasonal; semestral, semestrial;
semiannual, biannual, biyearly; semiweekly,
biweekly; weekly; annual, yearly; biennial;
bimonthly, bimestrial; half-hourly; half-yearly;
monthly; tertian, alternate(prenominal);
triennial]
[WordNet 1.5]
4. Marked by repeated cycles[2].
[WordNet 1.5]
Cyclic chorus, the chorus which performed the songs and
dances of the dithyrambic odes at Athens, dancing round
the altar of Bacchus in a circle.
Cyclic poets, certain epic poets who followed Homer, and
wrote merely on the Trojan war and its heroes; -- so
called because keeping within the circle of a single
subject. Also, any series or coterie of poets writing on
one subject. --Milman.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Biennial \Bi*en"ni*al\, a. [L. biennalis and biennis, fr.
biennium a space of two years; bis twice + annus year. Cf.
Annual.]
1. Happening, or taking place, once in two years; as, a
biennial election.
[1913 Webster]
2. (Bot.) Continuing for two years, and then perishing, as
plants which form roots and leaves the first year, and
produce fruit the second.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Biennial \Bi*en"ni*al\, n.
1. Something which takes place or appears once in two years;
esp. a biennial examination.
[1913 Webster]
2. (Bot.) A plant which exists or lasts for two years.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
biennial
adj 1: having a life cycle lasting two seasons; "a biennial life
cycle"; "parsnips and carrots are biennial plants often
grown as annuals" [syn: biennial, two-year] [ant:
annual, one-year, perennial]
2: occurring every second year; "they met at biennial
conventions" [syn: biennial, biyearly]
n 1: (botany) 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
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:
89 Moby Thesaurus words for "biennial":
amphibian, angiosperm, anniversary, annual, annual holiday,
aquatic plant, biannual, bicentenary, bicentennial, bimonthly,
birthday, bissextile day, biweekly, catamenial, centenary,
centennial, commemoration, cosmopolite, cutting, daily, decennial,
deciduous plant, diamond jubilee, dicot, dicotyledon, diurnal,
ephemeral, evergreen, exotic, flowering plant, fortnightly, fungus,
gametophyte, golden wedding anniversary, gymnosperm, hebdomadal,
holy days, hourly, hydrophyte, immovable feast, jubilee, leap year,
menstrual, momentary, momently, monocot, monocotyl, monthly,
name day, natal day, octennial, perennial, plant, polycot,
polycotyl, polycotyledon, quadrennial, quarterly,
quasquicentennial, quincentenary, quincentennial, quinquennial,
quotidian, secular, seed plant, seedling, semestral, semiannual,
semimonthly, semiweekly, semiyearly, septennial, sesquicentennial,
sextennial, silver wedding anniversary, spermatophyte, sporophyte,
tercentenary, tercentennial, tertian, thallophyte, tricennial,
triennial, vascular plant, vegetable, wedding anniversary, weed,
weekly, yearly