Meaning of binary in English | Powered by Free Dictionary API

noun

• A thing which can have only (one or the other of) two values.

• The bijective base-2 numeral system, which uses only the digits 0 and 1.

• An executable computer file.

• A satellite system consisting of two stars or other bodies orbiting each other.

adjective

• Being in a state of one of two mutually exclusive conditions such as on or off, true or false, molten or frozen, presence or absence of a signal.

  Example: Binary states are often represented as 1 and 0 in computer science.

• Concerning logic whose subject matter concerns binary states.

• Concerning numbers and calculations using the binary number system.

• Having two equally important parts; related to something with two parts.

  Example: A binary statistical distribution has only two categories.

• (computer engineering) Of an operation, function, procedure or logic gate, taking exactly two operands, arguments, parameters or inputs; having domain of dimension 2.

  Example: Division of reals is a binary operation.

• Of data, consisting coded values (e.g. machine code) not interpretable as plain or ASCII text (e.g. source code).

  Example: He downloaded the binary distribution for Linux, then burned it to DVD.

• Focusing on two mutually exclusive conditions.

  Example: He has a very binary understanding of gender.