binary definition | Dictionary.com

bi⋅na⋅ry

[bahy-nuh-ree, -ner-ee]

adjective, noun, plural -ries.

–adjective

1.	consisting of, indicating, or involving two.

Mathematics.

a.	of or pertaining to a system of numerical notation to the base 2, in which each place of a number, expressed as 0 or 1, corresponds to a power of 2. The decimal number 58 appears as 111010 in binary notation, since 58 = 1 × 2⁵ + 1 × 2⁴ + 1 × 2³ + 0 × 2² + 1 × 2¹ + 0 × 2⁰.

b.	of or pertaining to the digits or numbers used in binary notation.

c.	of or pertaining to a binary system.

d.	(of an operation) assigning a third quantity to two given quantities, as in the addition of two numbers.

3.	Chemistry. noting a compound containing only two elements or groups, as sodium chloride, methyl bromide, or methyl hydroxide.

4.	Metallurgy. (of an alloy) having two principal constituents.

–noun

5.	a whole composed of two.

6.	Astronomy. binary star.

7.	Also called binary number. Mathematics. a number expressed in the binary system of notation.

Origin:
1350–1400; ME < LL bīnārius, equiv. to bīn(ī) (see bin- ) + -ārius -ary

binary star

–noun Astronomy.

a system of two stars that revolve about their common center of mass.

Also called binary, binary system.

Origin:
1875–80

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source

Link To binary

bi·na·ry (bī'nə-rē)

adj.

Characterized by or consisting of two parts or components; twofold.
Of or relating to a system of numeration having 2 as its base.
Chemistry Consisting of or containing only molecules consisting of two kinds of atoms.
Of or employing two comparatively nontoxic chemicals that combine to produce a deadly poison: binary weapons; a binary nerve gas.
Music Having two sections or subjects.

n. pl. bi·na·ries
Something that is binary, especially a binary star.

[Middle English binarie, from Late Latin bīnārius, from Latin bīnī, two by two; see dwo- in Indo-European roots.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

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.

Binary

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

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Cite This Source

Language Translation for : binary

Spanish: binario,

German: binär,

Japanese: 二進法

More Translations »

binary [(beye-nuh-ree, beye-ner-ee)]

Anything composed of two parts. In modern computers, information is stored in banks of components that act like switches. Since switches can be either on or off, they have a binary character, and we say that the computer uses “binary arithmetic” to do its work.

binary

1460, from L.L. binarius, from bini "two-by-two," from bis "double."

Main Entry: bi·na·ry
Pronunciation: 'bI-n&-rE, -"ner-E
Function: adjective
1 : compounded or consisting of or marked by two thingsor parts
2 a : composed of two chemical elements, an element and a radical that acts as an element, or two such radicals b : utilizing two harmless ingredientsthat upon combining form a lethal substance (as a gas)

binary bi·na·ry (bī'nə-rē)
adj.

Characterized by or consisting of two parts or components; twofold.
Consisting of or containing only molecules having two kinds of atoms.

binary (bī'nə-rē) Pronunciation Key

Having two parts.
Mathematics Based on the number 2 or the binary number system.

binary
1. Base two. A number representation consisting of zeros and ones used by practically all computers because of its ease of implementation using digital electronics and Boolean algebra.
2. binary file.
3. A description of an operator which takes two arguments. See also unary, ternary.
(2005-02-21)

Search another word or see binary on Thesaurus | Reference

$10.95 Unlimited Usenet
10 Connections, 297+ Day Retention Free SSL, Superfast, 99% Complete

www.NewsRazor.net

About · Privacy Policy · Terms of Use · Advertise with Us · Link to Us · NASCAR® · Contact Us