Watch this video to learn about English words with the bi- prefix. Learn the meaning of bi- and see examples. Also learn the difference between bi-weekly, biannual and biennial.
Click here to see other prefix and suffix videos.
Bi- prefix video script
What does the bi- in bicycle mean? Bi means two. A bicycle has two wheels.
What do we call a plane that has two sets of wings? A biplane
Next one. How do we describe someone that speaks two languages? Hello. Bon jour. Bilingual.
Next one. Bigamy. Bigamy is a crime. What crime is it? Bigamy is being married to two people at the same time. And we call a person who commits bigamy a bigamist.
OK, what do you think binary means? It’s a system of numbers and it uses only zeros and ones, like the numbers used in computers
And next one, what do we call a creature with two feet? Biped.
As well as two, bi- can also mean twice, so if you hold meetings bi-weekly, you hold them twice a week. What if you hold them twice a year? Do you hold them biannually or biennially? It’s biannually. Twice a year. A biennial event happens once every two years.
Can you think of any more bi- words? Tell us in the comments. And click here for more prefixes and suffixes.
6 thoughts on “The bi- prefix. Learn its meaning and see examples”
“Bipolar” is another one to mean having personality/mood swings. Nearly said “bystander” only to remember that the word used “by ” meaning “next to”.
Informative and motivating video with many good examples. Thank you. You have 36 videos covering a number English language vocab and grammar subjects . Will definitely be dipping into them.
Yes, bipolar is another great example. Thanks a lot for that Nail. Glad you are dipping into the videos.
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(bisect) which means having two halves
Good one Abdullah!