The term “biweekly” means something that happens every two weeks or twice in one week. It’s a word you’ll often see in situations like work schedules, loan repayments, or meetings. Sometimes, though rarely, it’s used to describe things that occur twice in a single week.
You might be confused whether to use biweekly or bi-weekly. Should it be one word, or should you split it into two? Should you use a hyphen or not?
So, what’s the right way to write it? Is it “Bi Weekly”, “Biweekly”, or “Bi-Weekly”?
The single-word form ‘biweekly’ is generally more widely accepted and used.
Biweekly or Bi-Weekly: Which is Correct?
The term biweekly without a hyphen is the correct form.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, biweekly refers to anything that is produced or happens every two weeks or twice each week.
It can be used as both adjective and an adverb.
- Adjective: We have biweekly meetings to discuss project updates
- Adverb: The newsletter is published biweekly
The word itself is comprised of two parts: bi-, meaning two, and weekly, which means every week. Therefore, the word biweekly is a combination of these two words to indicate something happening every two weeks or twice in one week.
Why there is no hyphen in biweekly?
The prefix bi- is possibly the source of the confusion around the use of hyphen when writing the word biweekly.
A hyphen (-) is a little dash that is sometimes used in English words to link separate words together, like in “mother-in-law” or “well-known.”
But we don’t always need a hyphen when we use a prefix like “bi-.”
This is because, generally, you don’t need to use a hyphen with a word that has a prefix. Examples include ‘bipolar’, ‘unhappy’, ‘prepaid’, ‘reconsider’, etc.
So, “biweekly” is correct when written without a hyphen because it follows the rules of English writing.
Examples of Using “Biweekly“ in A Sentence
“Your payment cheques will be issued biweekly.“
“Many journals publish issues on a biweekly basis.“
“The gardener comes to maintain the yard biweekly.“
“You’re scheduled for biweekly dental cleanings this year.“
“To stay on track, hold biweekly progress meetings with your team.“
“The book club decided to meet biweekly to discuss new chapters.“
“Set aside time biweekly to review your budget and expenses.“
“Parents here often opt for biweekly visits to the library with their children.“
“Maintain your fitness by ensuring biweekly visits to the gym.“
“The biweekly farmers’ market is a great place to shop for fresh produce.“
Some Other Ways to Say ‘Biweekly’
When you’re talking about things that happen every two weeks, there are several different ways to say ‘biweekly’. Here are a few alternatives:
- Fortnightly: This is just another way to say ‘biweekly’ and it’s easy to understand.
- Every Fourteen Days: This phrase means the same thing as ‘biweekly’, but it’s a bit more literal.
- Alternate Weeks: This phrase means something happens one week, then not the next, and then it happens again the week after that.
- Every Other Week/Every Second Week: These phrases are simple and clear ways to describe something that happens every two weeks.
- Twice a Month: This means something happens about twice in a month, which is roughly every two weeks.
- Semi-weekly: Be careful with this one because it can also mean twice in one week. Use this when ‘biweekly’ means something happens twice in a week.
