bipartite

adjective

bi·​par·​tite (ˌ)bī-ˈpär-ˌtīt 

1

a

: being in two parts

b

: having a correspondent part for each of two parties

c

: shared by two

2

: divided into two parts almost to the base

a bipartite leaf

bipartitely adverb

bipartition

ˌbī-(ˌ)pär-ˈti-shən 

noun

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Bipartite and Medicine

Usually a technical word, bipartite is common in medicine and biology. A bipartite patella, for example, is a split kneecap; many people are born with them. Many creatures have a bipartite life cycle, living life in two very distinct forms. As one example, the velella begins life as a creature that travels with thousands of others in the form of a kind of sailboat, blown across the ocean's surface with the wind; only later does each velella turn into a tiny jellyfish.

Synonyms

• binary
• double
• double-barreled
• double-edged
• dual
• duplex
• twin
• twofold

Examples of bipartite in a Sentence

separated the bipartite rock

Recent Examples on the Web

The procedure was on his bipartite patella, or a two-part kneecap that didn’t fuse together at birth. —Joe Reedy, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2024

Specifically, your growing child might encounter a condition called bipartite patella. —​wendy Wisner, Parents, 30 July 2024

What the Jewish People needed, Isaac thought, was bipartite leadership. —Rabbi Avi Weiss, sun-sentinel.com, 1 Nov. 2021

In the last week, the team has shut down sluggers Shohei Ohtani (surgery to address bipartite patella in his left knee), Justin Upton (patellar tendinitis in his right knee) and Mike Trout (Morton’s neuroma in his right foot). —Maria Torres, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2019

Word History

Etymology

Latin bipartitus, past participle of bipartire to divide in two, from bi- + partire to divide, from part-, pars part

First Known Use

1574, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

bipartite

adjective

bi·​par·​tite (ˈ)bī-ˈpär-ˌtīt 

1

: being in two parts

2

: shared by two

bipartite treaty

Medical Definition

bipartite

adjective

bi·​par·​tite (ˈ)bī-ˈpär-ˌtīt 

: divided into two parts