dwukierunkowy

Dwukierunkowy is a Polish adjective meaning bidirectional or two-way, used to describe processes, systems, or relations that allow movement, communication, or exchange in both directions. It is applied in various domains to emphasize reciprocity or mutual interaction.

Etymology: the term comes from the prefix dwu- meaning two and the noun kierunek (direction), with the adjectival suffix -owy. The form agrees with the noun it modifies in gender, number, and case.

In transportation, dwukierunkowy ruch or dwukierunkowa ulica denotes streets where traffic can travel in both directions. In telecommunications and computing, terms such as kanał dwukierunkowy (bidirectional channel) or komunikacja dwukierunkowa (bidirectional communication) describe data exchange in both directions. In science and social sciences, phrases like relacje dwukierunkowe or wpływ dwukierunkowy describe reciprocal influences between entities. In linguistics, dwukierunkowa komunikacja refers to interactive dialogue between participants.

In everyday usage, synonyms include obustronny or dwustronny. In telecom contexts, the notion of pełny dupleks is related, indicating simultaneous two-way transmission, while dwukierunkowy can refer more generally to bidirectional capability. The term is often contrasted with jednokierunkowy (one-way) to distinguish directional constraints.