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binary

 - 10 dictionary results

bi·na·ry

   [bahy-nuh-ree, -ner-ee] adjective, noun,plural-ries.
–adjective
1.
consisting of, indicating, or involving two.
2.
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.
Use binary in a Sentence
Origin:
1350–1400; ME < LL bīnārius, equiv. to bīn(ī) (see bin-) + -ārius -ary

—Can be confused: binary, bindery.

binary star

 
–nounAstronomy.
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. 2010.
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World English Dictionary
binary (ˈbaɪnərɪ) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
—adj
1.  composed of, relating to, or involving two; dual
2.  maths, computing of, relating to, or expressed in binary notation or binary code
3.  (of a compound or molecule) containing atoms of two different elements
4.  metallurgy (of an alloy) consisting of two components or phases
5.  (of an educational system) consisting of two parallel forms of education such as the grammar school and the secondary modern in Britain
6.  maths, logic (of a relation, expression, or operation) applying to two elements of its domain; having two argument places; dyadic
 
—n , -ries
7.  something composed of two parts or things
8.  astronomy See binary star
9.  short for binary weapon
 
[C16: from Late Latin bīnārius; see bin-]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Word Origin & History

binary
mid-15c., from L.L. binarius "consisting of two," from bini "twofold, two apiece, two-by-two," from bis "double" (see bis-). Binary code in computer terminology was in use by 1952, though the idea itself is ancient. Binary star in astronomy is from 1802.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

bi·na·ry definition

Pronunciation: /ˈbī-nə-rē, -ˌner-ē/
Function: adj
1 : compounded or consisting of or marked by two things or 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 ingredients that upon combining form a lethal substance (as a gas)
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2007 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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binary bi·na·ry (bī'nə-rē)
adj.

  1. Characterized by or consisting of two parts or components; twofold.

  2. Consisting of or containing only molecules having two kinds of atoms.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Science Dictionary
binary   (bī'nə-rē)  Pronunciation Key 

  1. Having two parts.

  2. Mathematics Based on the number 2 or the binary number system.


binary star  
A system of two stars that orbit a common center of mass, appearing as a single star when visible to the unaided eye. The orbital periods of binary stars range from several hours to several centuries. By some estimates, at least half of the stars in the Milky Way galaxy are members of binary star systems. Also called double star. ◇ Binary stars are divided into four main classes based on how their dual nature is detected. A visual binary can be resolved telescopically into its two components. Only one star of an astrometric binary is visible, but the unseen component can be identified from its gravitational effect on the visible star, causing it to oscillate slightly, or wobble, against the background of more distant stars. The two components of a spectroscopic binary are identified based on their varying orbital velocities toward or away from Earth as revealed by periodic doppler shifts in their spectral lines. In an eclipsing binary, the two components orbit each other in such a way that they periodically obscure or eclipse each other as viewed from Earth, causing changes in their observed brightness. Eclipsing binaries are also considered a kind of variable star. ◇ Two stars that lie very close to each other along an observer's line of sight but that are not associated with each other in a gravitational system are known as optical binaries. Although they appear close to each other in the sky, such stars are actually very distant from each other in space. See also multiple star, variable star.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Cultural Dictionary
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.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Computing Dictionary

binary definition


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)

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © Denis Howe 2010 http://foldoc.org
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