nonbinary

adjective

non·​bi·​na·​ry ˌnän-ˈbī-nə-rē How to pronounce nonbinary (audio)
-ˌner-ē,
-ˌne-rē
: not binary: such as
a
: not restricted to two things or parts
nonbinary voting
b
: of, relating to, or being a system of numbers that does not use 2 as its base
nonbinary math
c
or non-binary : relating to or being a person who identifies with or expresses a gender identity that is neither entirely male nor entirely female
non-binary people
… an effort to create more equality for nonbinary and transgender students across campus.Phoebe Roe
… many people with nonbinary genders use "they" and "their" pronouns …Lucy Brisbane
… the normalization of sharing pronouns emphasizes the fact that everyone has preferred pronouns, not just trans and non-binary folks.Christina M. Xiao

Examples of nonbinary in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web And which was more surprising: Imogen realizing that she’s never liked a boy, or Darcy coming out as nonbinary? Vlada Gelman, TVLine, 11 Oct. 2024 Oncologist celebrating 55 years at Stroger Hospital, and her 87th birthday Mother, son set to run Chicago Marathon to support trans, nonbinary young people Alain Sherter Alain Sherter is a senior managing editor with CBS News. Alain Sherter, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2024 That includes not only cisgender women but also transgender men and nonbinary people. Katia Hetter, CNN, 8 Oct. 2024 And the potential risks affect more people than cisgender women, as some men, nonbinary people and transgender people have reported similar concerns. David Ingram, NBC News, 8 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for nonbinary 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nonbinary.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1863, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nonbinary was in 1863

Dictionary Entries Near nonbinary

Cite this Entry

“Nonbinary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonbinary. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Medical Definition

nonbinary

adjective
non·​bi·​na·​ry -ˈbī-nə-rē How to pronounce nonbinary (audio)
-ˌner-ē
variants or non-binary
: relating to or being a person who identifies with or expresses a gender identity that is neither entirely male nor entirely female
Nonbinary people—individuals who identify as both male or female, neither male nor female, … and/or reject all gender identities—may experience unique mental health stressors due to cultural invisibility and ignorance surrounding nonbinary identities.Abbie E. Goldberg et al., The Counseling Psychologist
… some non-binary people who were assigned female at birth had chest surgery and/or took hormones. Others did not engage in these methods, but modified some visible markers of gender in other ways …Christina Richards et al., International Review of Psychiatry
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