dual (adj.)
c. 1600, in grammar, "the form or number relating to two," from Latin dualis "that contains two; the dual number, duality," from duo "two" (from PIE root *dwo- "two"). General sense of "relating to two, expressing two, composed or consisting of two parts" is from 1650s. Related: Dually.
Entries linking to dual
Proto-Indo-European root meaning "two."
It forms all or part of: anadiplosis; balance; barouche; between; betwixt; bezel; bi-; binary; bis-; biscuit; combination; combine; deuce; deuterium; Deuteronomy; di- (1) "two, double, twice;" dia-; dichotomy; digraph; dimity; diode; diphthong; diploid; diploma; diplomacy; diplomat; diplomatic; diplodocus; double; doublet; doubloon; doubt; dozen; dual; dubious; duet; duo; duodecimal; duplex; duplicate; duplicity; dyad; epididymis; hendiadys; pinochle; praseodymium; redoubtable; twain; twelfth; twelve; twenty; twi-; twice; twig; twilight; twill; twin; twine; twist; 'twixt; two; twofold; zwieback.
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit dvau, Avestan dva, Greek duo, Latin duo, Old Welsh dou, Lithuanian dvi, Old Church Slavonic duva, Old English twa, twegen, German zwei, Gothic twai "two;" first element in Hittite ta-ugash "two years old."
1755 as a term in philosophy, "a way of thinking which explains phenomena by the assumption of two independent and absolute elements," from French dualisme (1754); see dual + -ism. Theological sense of "doctrine of two independent divine beings or eternal principles" is by 1847. General sense of "division into two" is by 1831.
Share dual
dual controls for pilot and copilot
a double (or dual) role for an actor
ancient Greek had the dual form but it has merged with the plural form in modern Greek
