nonbinary

adjective

non·​bi·​na·​ry ˌnän-ˈbī-nə-rē 

-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

The 40-something witch wondered: Could a nonbinary coven leader exist within the tradition’s framework? —Emma Cieslik, Them, 1 Nov. 2024

Coleman plans to release more independent films directed by women or nonbinary directors soon, with a bespoke release plan for each film. —Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 30 Oct. 2024

But as of 2024, just 25% of legislators nationwide were female parents or nonbinary parents, the Vote Mama analysis found. —Michael Graff, Axios, 23 Oct. 2024

Last summer, the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center abruptly cancelled a biannual Asian American literary festival owing to fears of blowback from the inclusion of trans and nonbinary programming, people close to the Center believe. —E. Tammy Kim, The New Yorker, 15 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1863, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

nonbinary

adjective

non·​bi·​na·​ry -ˈbī-nə-rē 

-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