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binary system
noun
: binary star
also
: a similar system containing bodies (such as black holes) other than stars
Examples of binary system in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The binary system then spirals around each other and are drawn together by the black hole’s gravity.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 23 Oct. 2024
The spacecraft is expected to enter the Didymos binary system's orbit in October 2026, according to the agency.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 8 Oct. 2024
Situated some 3,000 light-years away from Earth, the Blaze Star is a binary system in which a white dwarf, the core remains of a dying star, accumulates material from its neighboring red giant star.
—Alexa Robles-Gil, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Oct. 2024
Many stars exist in pairs, or a binary system, unlike the sun.
—Jacopo Prisco, CNN, 13 Aug. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1802, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near binary system
Cite this Entry
“Binary system.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/binary%20system. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
binary system
noun
: a system of two objects that revolve around each other
especially
: binary star
More from Merriam-Webster on binary system
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about binary system
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