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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

bi·na·ry       (bī'nə-rē)  Pronunciation Key  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.]

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
binary 

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

binary
adjective
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"
noun
1.	a system of two stars that revolve around each other under their mutual gravitation [syn: binary 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"

The American Heritage Science Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

binary       (bī'nə-rē)  Pronunciation Key  Having two parts. Mathematics Based on the number 2 or the binary number system.

American Heritage New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition - Cite This Source - Share This
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 ®Äúbinary arithmetic®Äù to do its work.

American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

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.

Free On-line Dictionary of Computing - Cite This Source - Share This

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)

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

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 Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Binary

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