From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!npoiv!npois!houxm!5941ux!machaids!as
Newsgroups: net.nlang
Title: Re: words which mean their opposites
Article-I.D.: machaids.231
Posted: Fri Jan  7 15:22:32 1983
Received: Sat Jan  8 05:05:10 1983
References: dciem.137 rabbit.1030

	Bimonthly definitely isn't in the category of words that have two
opposite meanings.  It always means once every two months; only semimonthly
means twice a month.  The following usage note is quoted from the American
Heritage Dictionary:
	"Bimonthly, in careful usage, means 'once in two months;'
biweekly, 'once in two weeks;' and biyearly, 'once in two years.'  They are not
interchangeable with semimonthly, semiweekly, and semiyearly, which refer to
occurrence twice a month, week, and year, respectively.  A similar distinction
exists between biennial (once in two years, lasting two years) and biannual
(twice a year)."
				Abe Shliferstein, Bell Labs, Holmdel.