binary English · revision 10791

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1464|origins=la-lat binarius}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈbaɪ.nər.i/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is, through Anglo-Latin, [[bor|la-lat|bīnārius|t=consisting of two]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) from [[la|bīnī|t=two at a time, two by two]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) related to [[m|la|bis|t=twice]] and [[m|la|duo|t=two]] (see [[two]]).^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Consisting of two parts, dual: before 1464 in Barnhart, the mid-15th century in Etymonline;^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) the NODE gives the first sense as a pair, duality.^(NODE 1998)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In music, binary measure, with two beats to a bar, is from 1597.^(OED 1989)^(MWU 2024) A binary system of biological classification is from 1766,^(OED 1989) binary stars, two stars orbiting each other, from 1802,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and a chemical compound of two elements from 1812.^(OED 1989) A binary number is from before 1796,^(Barnhart 1988) and the binary digit, or bit, from 1946.^(Barnhart 1988) Its use in computing for the two-digit number system is the main modern sense.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1464 – dual, twofold.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1597 – binary measure (music).^(OED 1989)

+ * before 1796 – binary number.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1802 – binary star.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1946 – binary digit.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Consisting of or involving two parts; [[dual]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(mathematics, computing)'' Of or expressed in the number system with base 2, using only 0 and 1.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(chemistry)'' Of a compound, made of two elements.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # Something binary, especially a binary [[star]].^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[binary code]]

+ * [[binary digit]]

+ * [[binary fission]]

+ * [[binary operation]]

+ * [[binary pulsar]]

+ * [[binary star]]

+ * [[binary system]]

+ * [[contact binary]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[binarity]]

+ * [[binarism]]

+ * [[two]]

+ * [[combine]]

+ * [[bi-]]

+ * [[bit]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}