binomial
UK[baɪˈnəʊ.mi.əl]US[baɪˈnoʊ.mi.əl]
adj
Consisting of or relating to two mathematical terms connected by the plus or minus sign.
n
An algebraic expression consisting of two terms connected by a plus or minus sign.
n
A two-part name, especially in biology, consisting of the genus name followed by the species name.
Morpheme Breakdown
bi
nom
ial
bi
two
nom
name, term
ial
adjective suffix
Etymology
The word 'binomial' is a modern Latin formation, entering English in the mid-16th century. It is constructed from the Latin elements 'bi-' (meaning 'two') and 'nomen' (meaning 'name' or 'term'), combined with the adjectival suffix '-alis'. The literal sense is "having or pertaining to two names or terms." This logic perfectly maps to its mathematical use for an expression with two terms and its biological use for the two-part naming system (genus and species) formalized by Linnaeus. The root 'nomen' itself descends from the Proto-Indo-European h₁nómn̥, a foundational word for 'name'.
Analysis
Structure: bi (two) + nom (name, term) + ial (adjective suffix)
- bi: Latin origin, from 'bis' meaning 'twice' or 'two'. A prefix denoting two.
- nom: Latin origin, from 'nomen' meaning 'name'. A root referring to a name or term.
- ial: Latin origin, adjectival suffix '-alis', forming adjectives meaning 'of or pertaining to'.
Examples
The binomial theorem describes the algebraic expansion of powers of a binomial.
The scientific name for humans, Homo sapiens, is a binomial.
She simplified the complex equation into a simple binomial expression.