What does twice mean?
Twice is a neutral English adverb that means on two separate occasions or at a rate of two occurrences in each relevant period. It can also indicate a doubled quantity: “twice as many,” “twice as much,” and “twice the size” all mean two times the stated amount. Because it can describe both frequency and degree, once can simply replace it in its first sense, whereas comparative wording is generally clearest for the second. The word appears naturally in schedules such as “twice a week” and in comparisons such as “twice as likely,” and it is equally standard in formal writing and everyday speech in British and American English. Its main practical caution is that “twice more than” can be heard in two ways—twice the amount of, or an additional two times the amount—whereas “twice as much as” removes that ambiguity. Once its central meaning is recognized, twice proves especially useful because it expresses repetition and multiplication with a single familiar word.
adverbOn two occasions or two times a stated amount. It can indicate either repetition (“come twice”) or a doubled quantity (“twice as large”).
- On two separate occasions or two times.
- Two times a stated amount; double.
"The exhibition is twice as large as last year's, but admission prices have remained unchanged."
"We visited the coastal village twice during our week there."
"The revised method is twice as fast as the original process."
Twice carries a hidden numeral: it comes from the same ancient Germanic source as the English word two.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does twice come from?
The Middle English form twyes developed from Old English twia, an adverb meaning “twice” or “two times.” That older form is related to the Germanic numeral represented today by English two and also underlies the two- sense in words such as twilight and betwixt.
How twice is actually used
The word is neutral in register and standard in both British and American English. The expression “twice more than” can be interpreted either as twice the amount of or as an additional two times the amount; “twice as much as” is less ambiguous.