OMFG what does biweekly mean

[HAL9000]

Both.

 

[Whisper]

It should mean twice a week, but people have bastardized it into meaning the same thing as bimonthly.

 

[dennilfloss]

In grade school during the 60s, I learned biweekly = twice a week, bimonthly = twice a month. Of course this was when gay meant happy and bad/sick/ill meant not good/not well.

 

[Baked]

In the world of payroll, the term biweekly means you get pay every 2 weeks. It doesn't make any sense!

 

[destrekor]

It should mean twice a week, but people have bastardized it into meaning the same thing as bimonthly.

bi-monthly does NOT equal a two-week check.

Though, it's beneficial to plan finances for bimonthly if paid every two weeks. You get two bonus checks that way. :awe:

As stated elsewhere in this thread, bimonthly checks = 24 pay periods. Every two weeks = 26 pay periods.

In practice, it's close enough to be considered basically the same thing... except for when it's not, which is two months out of the year where it is [trimonthly?].
😉

 

[MtnMan]

With sex, depends on the gender.

Bi-weekly sex to him means twice a week
Bi-weekly sex to her means twice a month

:whiste:

 

[janas19]

It should mean twice a week, but people have bastardized it into meaning the same thing as bimonthly.

Yes exactly

 

[CZroe]

If you asked me I would tell you the strict definition (twice a week) and the common usage (once every two weeks).

 

[Spacehead]

In grade school during the 60s, I learned biweekly = twice a week, bimonthly = twice a month. Of course this was when gay meant happy and bad/sick/ill meant not good/not well.

This, just change "during the 60s" to during the 70s.

 

[BrokenVisage]

It means Weekly likes other days as well as other months.. not that there's anything wrong with that!

 

[Ichinisan]

bi = two
weekly = week

biweekly = two weeks


amirite? :awe:

"Bi-" means "split into two equal halves."

Bivalve
Bifurcate
Bisect

I don't know how it got applied to sexuality. Probably because "bipolar" was such a common term...?

 

[Craig234]

Since lots of opinions are posted, I'll call this adding a vote:

bi-weekly accurately means twice per week, but usage has made it ambiguous.

It's now a useless word because of that.

I thought semi-weekly was clear as every other week, but a poster above got these two switched. What a mess.

Next up: does Semi mean every other truck?

Why is one clothing item a pair of pants, when there's no such thing as a 'pant'?

Why do we park in a driveway, and drive on a parkway?

 

[Craig234]

"Bi-" means "split into two equal halves."

Bivalve
Bifurcate
Bisect

I don't know how it got applied to sexuality. Probably because "bipolar" was such a common term...?

Bi- also can mean 'two of', e.g., 'bicycle' as opposed to 'unicycle'. 'Biplane' for an aircraft with two sets of wings. You're on your own for bi-carbonate.

 

[Engineer]

paychecks = bimonthly

this topic = biannually

any questions? 😛

You just won the internet. Your prize (the cookie, not the little girl or the blue fuzzy character)!!!

 

[mcmilljb]

"Bi-" means "split into two equal halves."

Bivalve
Bifurcate
Bisect

I don't know how it got applied to sexuality. Probably because "bipolar" was such a common term...?

It means "two" not "split into two equal halves." Use semi- for that.

Biweekly is every 2 weeks. If you want twice a week, use semiweekly. This whole fuck up comes from biannually which is actually every 2 years. You want twice a year? Use semiannually.

 

[yh125d]

Fortnightly

 

[FoBoT]

Fortnightly

now this is unambiguous

 

[natto fire]

It should mean twice a week, but people have bastardized it into meaning the same thing as bimonthly.

Just add it to the pile of ignorance of our language. I was actually ragged on the other day because I knew what a preposition was. Phonics for the txt omg lol generation requires dilution of common sense even more than the original ebonics.

 

[destrekor]

Fortnightly

It's perfect.

Of course, in the US, the term fortnight has essentially dropped out of use completely.

 

[JulesMaximus]

No, biweekly would mean twice a week, as bianually means twice a year. Technically, the correct term, I believe, is bimonthly, or every other week.

Bimonthly =! every 2 weeks.

 

[silverpig]

bi = 2
semi = 1/2

biweekly = every 2 weeks
semiweekly = every 1/2 week

At least that's how I use it.

The dictionary is pretty clear on the use of semi- and does say that the usage of bi- is a clusterfuck because people always misuse it.

 

[Craig234]

Also: today is Saturday. Does 'last Thursday' mean two days ago or 9 days ago? Next Thursday mean 5 days or 12 days?

 

[FoBoT]

Also: today is Saturday. Does 'last Thursday' mean two days ago or 9 days ago? Next Thursday mean 5 days or 12 days?

last thursday was March 8
they invented the calendar for a reason

relative paths will screw you whether in a file system or a calendar system, always go with hard coded full paths/dates

 

[jteef]

biweekly = both, but usually every 2 weeks. At least in merica. my evidence is the bicentennial which was celebrated in 1976, 200 years after independence. semi is the preferred nomenclature for half.

 

[Ichinisan]

It means "two" not "split into two equal halves." Use semi- for that.

Biweekly is every 2 weeks. If you want twice a week, use semiweekly. This whole fuck up comes from biannually which is actually every 2 years. You want twice a year? Use semiannually.

Yes, "bi" means "2." As in bisexual, bipolar, bisect, bifurcate, bivalve, bicycle, etc. But most people don't perceive "semi" to mean half, or two equal parts. Just "partial," or "incomplete."