biconcave
|bi-con-cave|
🇺🇸
/ˌbaɪkənˈkeɪv/
🇬🇧
/ˌbaɪkɒnˈkeɪv/
curved inward on both sides
Etymology
'biconcave' originates from Latin-derived elements: the prefix 'bi-' from Latin 'bis' meaning 'twice' or 'two', combined with 'concave', which comes from Latin 'concavus' ('con-' + 'cavus') meaning 'hollow' or 'arched inward'.
'concave' came into English via Latin 'concavus' (through Old French/Middle English forms) meaning 'hollowed', and the combining prefix 'bi-' (from Latin 'bis') was attached in modern English formation to produce 'biconcave'. The modern compound entered technical and scientific usage to describe objects curved inward on both faces.
Initially the Latin-based elements referred generally to being 'twice hollow' or 'having hollows', and over time the compound stabilized to the specific modern sense of 'curved inward on both sides'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
having a surface that is curved inward on both sides; concave on both faces (for example, a biconcave lens or the typical shape of a red blood cell).
Under the microscope, the red blood cells appeared biconcave, which increases their surface area for gas exchange.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/26 06:59