How to pronounce biennial
Say it like by-EN-ee-ul. Biennial has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (EN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce biennial. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- by
- EN
- ee
- ul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Biennial pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- byKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- ENSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- ulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of biennial
American and British speakers say biennial in essentially the same way: /baɪˈɛniəl/ in the US and /baɪˈɛniəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: by-EN-ee-ul.
What does biennial mean?
- A plant that requires two years to complete its life-cycle, germinating and growing in its first year, then producing its flowers and fruit in its second year, after which it usually dies.
- An event that happens every two years.
- Happening every two years.
- Lasting for two years.
Where does biennial come from?
Borrowed from Latin bienni(um) (“two-year period”) [from bis, bi- (“twice”) + annus (“year”)] + -al (suffix forming adjectives).
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with biennial
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of biennial.
Questions about saying biennial
How do you pronounce biennial?
Say by-EN-ee-ul. The American pronunciation is /baɪˈɛniəl/. In British English it is /baɪˈɛniəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in biennial?
Biennial has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (EN). Broken into parts: by · EN · ee · ul.
Do Americans and Brits say biennial the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /baɪˈɛniəl/ and the British form is /baɪˈɛniəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.