Biweeklies

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A publication or event that occurs every two weeks at regular intervals
2. A term indicating something that is published or takes place on a biweekly schedule
3. A collective descriptor for items, activities, or releases that follow a twice-monthly pattern

Etymology: "Biweeklies" is simply the plural of "biweekly" used as a noun, so the history of the root word applies here. "Biweekly" is built from three English parts: the prefix "bi-" meaning "two," the noun "week," and the suffix "-ly," which turns the combination into an adjective. Together they describe something that happens every two weeks. The word carries a genuine ambiguity that the parts alone do not resolve. Because "bi-" can mean either "two" or "twice," "biweekly" can mean either once every two weeks or twice a week. Dictionaries record both senses, and the same ambiguity applies to "bimonthly" and "biannual." Readers often have to rely on context to tell which sense a writer intends. The plural "biweeklies" follows the pattern of nouns ending in "-y," changing the "y" to "ies." It is used for publications or events that appear on this schedule, such as a magazine issued every other week.

Synonyms: fortnightlies