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DictionaryRoot: bi-
Latin

bi-

two or twice

Forms

  • bi-
  • bis- — A related fuller Latin form, especially meaning “twice.”

Origin

From an older form related to Latin duo, “two.”

Note

Two parts, two occurrences, and doubling are related but distinct uses of the prefix.

11 / 15
noun / adjective

binomial

by-NOH-mee-ul/baɪnˈoʊmiʌl/

Consisting of two terms or naming elements.

The expression on the page is a binomial with two underlined terms.

A single sheet of paper displaying the algebraic expression x + 3, with subtle separate colored-pencil underlines beneath its two terms.
Etymology
biLatintwo or twice
+nomialLatinname

The pieces connect “two” with “name.” The ancestor meant “having two personal names”; in algebra, the two-part idea applies to an expression consisting of two terms.

In context

Wrath of Math1:39
x^2 + 10 x + 25 and this of course is not a binomial because we have 1 2 three terms
What is a Binomial? (Types of Polynomials)

More examples

  • Students expand the square of a binomial.
  • Each species receives a binomial scientific name.
  • The expression x plus three is a binomial.

Forms

binomial · binomials

Similar words

monomial
An algebraic expression consisting of one term.
polynomial
An algebraic expression that may contain more than two terms.