Adjacent Words

Binary definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

BI'NARY, a. [L. binus, two and two.]
Binary arithmetic, the invention of Leibnitz, is that in which two figures only, 0 and 1, are used, in lieu of ten; the cypher multiplying every thing by two, as in common arithmetic by 10. Thus, 1 is one; 10 is two; 11 is three; 100 is four; 101 is five; 110 is six; 111, is seven; 1000 is eight; 1001 is nine; 1010 is ten. It is said this species of arithmetic has been used by the Chinese for 4000 years, being left in enigma by Fohi.
Binary measure, in music, is that used in common time, in which the time of rising in beating, is equal to the time of falling.
Binary number is that which is composed of two units.
BI'NARY, n. The constitution of two.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: of or pertaining to a number system have 2 as its base; "a binary digit"
2: consisting of two (units or components or elements or terms); "a binary star is a system in which two stars revolve around each other"; "a binary compound"; "the binary number system has two as its base" n
1: a system of two stars that revolve around each other under their mutual gravitation [syn: binary star, binary, double star]
2: a pre-compiled, pre-linked program that is ready to run under a given operating system; a binary for one operating system will not run on a different operating system; "the same source code can be compiled to produce different binaries for different operating systems" [syn: binary, binary program]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun (plural -ries) Date: 15th century something made of or based on two things or parts: as a. binary star b. a binary number system II. adjective Etymology: Late Latin binarius, from Latin bini two by two — more at bin- Date: 1597 1. compounded or consisting of or marked by two things or parts 2. a. duple — used of measure or rhythm b. having two musical subjects or two complementary sections 3. a. 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 (as on-off or yes-no) 4. a. composed of two chemical elements, an element and a radical that acts as an element, or two such radicals b. utilizing two harmless ingredients that upon combining form a lethal substance (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 (as good and evil) to analyze a subject or create a structural model <the binary opposition of male and female — Joan W. Scott>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. & n. --adj. 1 a dual. b of or involving pairs. 2 of the arithmetical system using 2 as a base. --n. (pl. -ies) 1 something having two parts. 2 a binary number. 3 a binary star. Phrases and idioms: binary code Computing a coding system using the binary digits 0 and 1 to represent a letter, digit, or other character in a computer (see BCD). binary compound Chem. a compound having two elements or radicals. binary fission the division of a cell or organism into two parts. binary number (or digit) one of two digits (usu. 0 or 1) in a binary system of notation. binary star a system of two stars orbiting each other. binary system a system in which information can be expressed by combinations of the digits 0 and 1 (corresponding to 'off' and 'on' in computing). binary tree a data structure in which a record is branched to the left when greater and to the right when less than the previous record. Etymology: LL binarius f. bini two together

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Binary Bi"na*ry, a. [L. binarius, fr. bini two by two, two at a time, fr. root of bis twice; akin to E. two: cf. F. binaire.] Compounded or consisting of two things or parts; characterized by two (things). Binary arithmetic, that in which numbers are expressed according to the binary scale, or in which two figures only, 0 and 1, are used, in lieu of ten; the cipher multiplying everything by two, as in common arithmetic by ten. Thus, 1 is one; 10 is two; 11 is three; 100 is four, etc. --Davies & Peck. Binary compound (Chem.), a compound of two elements, or of an element and a compound performing the function of an element, or of two compounds performing the function of elements. Binary logarithms, a system of logarithms devised by Euler for facilitating musical calculations, in which 1 is the logarithm of 2, instead of 10, as in the common logarithms, and the modulus 1.442695 instead of .43429448. Binary measure (Mus.), measure divisible by two or four; common time. Binary nomenclature (Nat. Hist.), nomenclature in which the names designate both genus and species. Binary scale (Arith.), a uniform scale of notation whose ratio is two. Binary star (Astron.), a double star whose members have a revolution round their common center of gravity. Binary theory (Chem.), the theory that all chemical compounds consist of two constituents of opposite and unlike qualities.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Binary Bi"na*ry, n. That which is constituted of two figures, things, or parts; two; duality. --Fotherby.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

1. The binary system expresses numbers using only the two digits 0 and 1. It is used especially in computing. ADJ: usu ADJ n 2. Binary is the binary system of expressing numbers. The machine does the calculations in binary. 3. Binary describes something that has two different parts. (FORMAL) ...a binary star. ADJ: ADJ n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

a. Dual, double, twofold, binal, consisting of two.

Moby Thesaurus

Janus-like, ambidextrous, bifacial, bifold, biform, bilateral, binate, biparous, bivalent, conduplicate, disomatous, double, double-barreled, double-faced, dual, dualistic, duple, duplex, duplicate, geminate, geminated, second, secondary, twin, twinned, two-faced, two-level, two-ply, two-sided, two-story, twofold