Binary \Bi"na*ry\, n.
   That which is constituted of two figures, things, or parts;
   two; duality. --Fotherby.
   [1913 Webster]

	

	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).
   [1913 Webster]

   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.
      [1913 Webster]

	

	binary
    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]

	

	31 Moby Thesaurus words for "binary":
   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

	

	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)