Word origin
[1920–25;
bi-1 +
metal, or as back formation from
bimetallic]This word is first recorded in the period 1920–25. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: Unknown Soldier, follow-up, self-service, ski jump, slalombi- is a combining form meaning “twice,” “two,” used in the formation of compound words.Other words that use the affix bi- include: biceps, bilingual, bimodal, bipolar, bisect