binary system

American  

noun

1. a system involving only two elements, as 0 and 1 or yes and no.

2. Mathematics. a system of counting or measurement whose units are powers of two.

3. Astronomy. binary star.

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Etymology

Origin of binary system

First recorded in 1825–35

Example Sentences

Though he takes a minute to upbraid her, they’re obviously the show’s binary system, and Decker is in any case a cheery sort who takes things in stride — even prison, seemingly.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 3, 2026

"Discovering three Earth-sized planets in such a compact binary system is a unique opportunity," says Zúñiga-Fernández.

From Science Daily • Nov. 12, 2025

This strange new world orbits around two stars at once, which dance around each other in what astronomers call a binary system.

From Space Scoop • May 6, 2025

Nemo’s powerhouse number “The Code” is about struggling to find their place and discovering it “somewhere between the zeroes and ones” of a binary system.

From Seattle Times • May 8, 2024

He dimmed the lights and switched a graphic onto the wall-screen behind him: a binary system, the elliptical figure-eight of the planet's orbit encircling two nearly identical suns.

From Oberheim (Voices) by Leadem, Christopher