biphasic

adjective

bi·​phas·​ic (ˌ)bī-ˈfā-zik How to pronounce biphasic (audio)
: having two phases

Examples of biphasic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web What is biphasic sleep? Marisa Cohen, Good Housekeeping, 2 Oct. 2022 In other words, segmented (or biphasic) sleep used to be the norm. Richard Sima, Discover Magazine, 17 Nov. 2020 Alcohol is biphasic, says Rajita Sinha, a professor of psychiatry and neuroscience at Yale School of Medicine. Emma Yasinski, Discover Magazine, 12 Jan. 2021 Russell Foster, a professor of circadian neuroscience at the University of Oxford, said Ekirch's findings on biphasic sleep, while not without controversy, had informed his work as a sleep scientist. Katie Hunt, CNN, 9 Jan. 2022 One worrisome possibility is that the coronavirus follows what is known as a biphasic infection: the virus persists and causes a different set of symptoms than observed in the initial bout. Apoorva Mandavilli, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2020 A typical feature of ODS is the biphasic presentation. Maryn McKenna, WIRED, 27 Jan. 2011

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'biphasic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1887, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of biphasic was in 1887

Dictionary Entries Near biphasic

Cite this Entry

“Biphasic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/biphasic. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

biphasic

adjective
bi·​phas·​ic (ˈ)bī-ˈfā-zik How to pronounce biphasic (audio)
: having two phases
a biphasic life cycle
a biphasic immune response
a biphasic stimulatory effect
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