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

Anthony Timpano joins as a grown-up Jamie (the youngest brother born in season 4), and Vaughan Murrae plays the family's nonbinary teenager Kelly (a surprise sibling teased in the series finale). —Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Apr. 2026

His work with his father on unnecessary home improvements masks a darker project, which is uncovered by his nemesis, nonbinary youngest child Kelly (nonbinary actor Vaughan Murrae), who appeared as a positive home pregnancy test at the end of the original series. —Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026

Hal and Lois have completed their family with Kelly (Vaughan Murrae), who is nonbinary. —Allison McClain Merrill, Parents, 8 Apr. 2026

Here are some nonbinary genders recognized by cultures around the world. —Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1863, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for nonbinary

• refinery
• binary
• finery
• winery

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