Etymologically
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biennium

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 18:04. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [biˈɛn.ni.ũː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [biˈɛn.ni.um][1]

Forms

biennium n (genitive bienniī or biennī); second declension[1]

Etymology

It is from ⟨bi-⟩ “two” and annus “year”, formed like ⟨biennis⟩ “lasting two years” with the suffix -ium.[2][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Lewis & Short and Gaffiot cite Plautus: iam biennium est cum “it is now two years since”.[3][5] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[6]

Semantic evolution

It meant a period of two years, as in Plautus and Cicero.[2][3][5]

Bede and other British Medieval Latin writers used it for a two-year period.[7] English took biennium in 1835; English millennium was formed on its model.[4]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.[3][6]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.[5][6]
  • 1835 – English biennium is recorded.[4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A period of two years.[2]

Word family

  • biennālis
  • annus
  • biennis
  • triennium
  • English biennium

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  7. ^ Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press