Debate sparked over what ‘bi-monthly’ actually means

There are some phrases that get thrown out in conversation that many of us will just go along with, we don’t necessarily know what it means, but we go along with it anyway.

Maybe you’ve experienced this at work? Perhaps your boss says they’ll discuss it in the ‘bimonthly meeting’ and you just nod your head and wait for the calendar invite.

But do you actually know what ‘bi-monthly’ means?

Because a lot - and I mean a lot - of people don’t have a clue.

In a debate that's set the internet alight, a user decided to put it to the public on X (formerly Twitter).

They wrote: “What does bimonthly mean?” and attached a poll.

The options were ‘twice a month’ or ‘every two months’.

And the result couldn’t have been any less helpful, as more and more confusion unfolds.

By 613 votes, it was basically an equal split for the answers.

Instagram account ‘todayyearsold’ shared a screenshot with in-caption: “Thanks guys for your help,” as users continued the argument in the comments.

mrs/Getty Images

One user bluntly put: “Every two months. Twice a month is semi-monthly.”

And another wrote: “Bimonthly is every two months, biweekly is every two weeks… who raised you?”

Others agreed: “Bimonthly = 2 specific days every month.”

However, another commented: “Bimonthly means twice a month. Biweekly means twice a week.”

And on X, users again were split between saying ‘twice a month’ and ‘every two months’.

So, now, prepare yourself for an absolute mind f**k if you didn’t know this already.

Because apparently, bimonthly means both of those options.

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As per Cambridge Dictionary bimonthly means: “Happening or appearing every two months or twice a month.”

Yes, the word has two meanings. So don’t be upset if you’re confused by it, maybe it is easier just nodding in agreement sometimes.

If you really want to make things confusing, Dictionary.com say that similarly biweekly also ‘could mean both’ twice a week and once every two weeks.

To save some confusion, it is common to use ‘semimonthly’ to describe something that happens twice a month, keeping ‘bimonthly’ for something that happens every two months.

Dictionary.com also say: “Yes, you can sometimes figure out what bimonthly means from the context of the sentence. But not always.

“The term bimonthly meeting might mean that it happens twice a month or every two months—both senses of the word are commonly used. Here’s the best (and maybe only) way to be perfectly clear: just say ‘twice a month’ or ‘once every two months’.”

Agreed, let’s keep things simple folks.

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