mathematics: a number system based only on the numerals 0 and 1 : a binary (see binaryentry 2 sense 3a) number system
42 is written as 101010 in binary.
3
: a division into two groups or classes that are considered diametrically opposite
Sam Killermann, a self-described "social justice comedian," is very serious about how far the complexities of identity go beyond the traditional binary of male or female. Katy Steinmetz
: having two musical subjects or two complementary sections
a song in binary form
3
a
mathematics: relating to, being, or belonging to a system of numbers having 2 as its base
the binary digits 0 and 1
b
: involving a choice or condition of two alternatives (such as on-off or yes-no)
4
a
chemistry: composed of two elements (see elementsense 2e), an element and a radical (see radicalentry 2 sense 4) that acts as an element, or two such radicals
b
: utilizing two harmless ingredients that upon combining form a lethal substance (such as a gas)
binary weapons
5
: relating two logical or mathematical elements
a binary operation
6
: of or relating to the use of stable oppositions (such as good and evil) to analyze a subject or create a structural model
the binary opposition of male and female Joan W. Scott
Did you know?
The animals went in two by two, the elephant and the kangaroo. . .. It was a binary parade of sorts that went into Noah's ark "for to get out of the rain" - the critters were represented in pairs. If you recall those partnered beasts, you'll remember the etymology of binary, because it traces to the Latin bini, which translates as "two by two." Although "binary" can be used for anything with two parts, it is now used especially in relation to computers and information processing. Digital computers use the binary number system, which includes only the digits 0 and 1, to process even complex data. In binary form, for instance, the word HELLO looks like this: 1001000 1000101 1001100 1001100 1001111.
Adjective a binary star is a system of two stars that revolve around each other under their mutual gravitation
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
But what makes James Webb’s image of this wind binary so amazing? Joshua Hawkins, BGR, 2 Sep. 2022 Those who do not identify within the male/female binary — a social and cultural construct that categorizes gender into those two forms — might identify as nonbinary. Leah Campano, Seventeen, 30 Aug. 2022 The term originated in the early 2000s and has gained traction in academic spaces for its ability to reject the gender binary.Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2022 At least for now, designers defaulted to the good old, bad old binary: Men, evidently, are the new men.New York Times, 29 June 2022 The yellow is for those whose gender is outside the traditional binary; the white for those with all genders or multiple ones; the purple for those who identify as a male and female mix; and the black for those who don't have a gender.USA Today, 1 June 2021 The gender binary too often limits what people imagine possible for themselves, or for their clients. Kalle Oskari Mattila, Vogue, 13 Aug. 2022 The same threat actor returned on April 28 to steal passwords, and on May 1 the ransomware binary is executed to encrypt data and drop a ransom note. Davey Winder, Forbes, 13 Aug. 2022 There are few industries more entrenched in the gender binary than athletics, which skating has been pulled into. Andrea Marks, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2022
Adjective
This led me to found Kode With Klossy in 2015, which runs free summer camp sessions that teach young women and non-binary youth the fundamentals of coding. Karlie Kloss, CNN, 8 Sep. 2022 Reid asked Derke Price, special assistant to the city attorney and interim corporation counsel, how Evanston’s binary definition of a male or female breast applies to the transgender and nonbinary communities. Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 7 Sep. 2022 And then that film opened up so much conversation around non-binary trans conversations and all those nuances.Essence, 6 Sep. 2022 Telluria’s whole scheme is designed to frustrate and mock the binary certainties of politics. Aaron Timms, The New Republic, 2 Sep. 2022 But, this image also showcases how light travels through the gasses and other material left behind as this pair of rare binary stars circle each other. Joshua Hawkins, BGR, 2 Sep. 2022 The book follows 17-year-old non-binary teen Ben De Backer, who is thrown out of their house and forced to move in with their estranged older sister and her husband after coming out to their parents. Samantha Olson, Seventeen, 31 Aug. 2022 Dimorphos is the smaller moonlet asteroid of the binary asteroid system Didymos, according to the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, which is developing and leading the mission for NASA. Julia Musto, Fox News, 26 Aug. 2022 Sort Of, the CBC and HBO Max comedy created by Bilal Baig and Fab Filippo and starring Baig as a non-binary millennial who straddles various identities among friends and family in Toronto. Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Aug. 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Adjective and Noun
Late Latin binarius, from Latin bini two by two — more at bin-