bimonthly
0 antonyms and opposites of bimonthly, grouped by meaning.
Adjective — Happening once every two months.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. adjective
Happening once every two months.
“The committee holds bimonthly meetings, in January, March and May.”
2. adjective
Happening twice a month. This second, opposite sense is well established in usage, which is why the word is genuinely ambiguous and often avoided.
“The magazine's bimonthly issues land on the 1st and the 15th.”
How to use bimonthly
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Neutral, but avoid it in contracts, invoices and schedules. Write 'every two months' or 'twice a month' instead.
Etymology
From the Latin prefix bi- 'two' plus monthly. The prefix can mean either 'every two' or 'twice', which is the source of the ambiguity.
Full origin of bimonthly →Frequently asked questions
Does bimonthly mean twice a month or every two months?
Both meanings are in genuine use and dictionaries record both, so the word cannot be relied on. Style guides recommend replacing it with 'every two months' or 'twice a month' whenever the difference matters, such as in a payment schedule.
What is the difference between bimonthly and semi-monthly?
Semi-monthly is unambiguous: it means twice a month. Bimonthly may mean twice a month or once every two months. If you want the twice-a-month meaning, semi-monthly is the safer word.
What is the difference between biannual and biennial?
Biannual means twice a year, and biennial means once every two years. Biennial is the reliable one; biannual is sometimes misused for the two-year sense, so spell it out if precision matters.