fortnightly: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Neutral to formal; more common in UK, Australian, and Indian English than in US English.
Quick answer
What does “fortnightly” mean?
Occurring or appearing once every two weeks.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Occurring or appearing once every two weeks.
Can also refer to publications issued every two weeks; sometimes used to describe a system of payment or scheduling.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Common and standard in UK English. In US English, it is understood but much less frequent; 'biweekly' or 'every other week' are preferred.
Connotations
In the UK, neutral and precise. In the US, may sound slightly British or formal.
Frequency
High frequency in UK media/publishing/scheduling. Low frequency in US general usage.
Grammar
How to Use “fortnightly” in a Sentence
The [noun] is published fortnightly.We get paid fortnightly.They meet on a fortnightly basis.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “fortnightly” in a Sentence
adverb
British English
- The gardening team comes fortnightly.
- The journal is issued fortnightly.
- He visits his grandmother fortnightly.
American English
- The team conference call is held fortnightly. (Formal/Business)
- The internal newsletter is distributed fortnightly.
adjective
British English
- She looks forward to her fortnightly yoga class.
- The council operates a fortnightly bin collection.
- It's a popular fortnightly publication.
American English
- They established a fortnightly review process. (Formal)
- The committee's fortnightly briefings are essential.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used for payroll and recurring meeting schedules.
Academic
Can describe the frequency of journals or seminar series.
Everyday
Used for describing routines like bin collection or shopping.
Technical
Precise term in scheduling and project management.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “fortnightly”
- Using 'biweekly' in American English without clarifying the meaning.
- Confusing 'fortnightly' with 'semi-monthly' (which is about twice a month, not exactly every 14 days).
- Spelling as 'fortnighly' (missing the 't').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In British English, 'fortnightly' is the clear term for 'every two weeks'. In American English, 'biweekly' can mean both 'every two weeks' and 'twice a week', making it ambiguous. 'Fortnightly' is unambiguous.
It is understood but is much less common than 'every other week' or 'biweekly'. Its use might be perceived as formal or slightly British.
The related noun is 'fortnight', meaning a period of two weeks.
Yes. As an adjective: 'a fortnightly meeting'. As an adverb: 'We meet fortnightly'.
Occurring or appearing once every two weeks.
Fortnightly is usually neutral to formal; more common in uk, australian, and indian english than in us english. in register.
Fortnightly: in British English it is pronounced /ˈfɔːtnaɪtli/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈfɔːrtnaɪtli/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: FORT (fourteen) + NIGHT + LY. A fortnight is fourteen nights, so fortnightly means every fourteen nights.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS A CYCLE (regular, repeating intervals).
Practice
Quiz
In American English, which phrase is LEAST likely to be used as a direct synonym for 'fortnightly'?