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

Starting and finishing at the iconic Rainbow Bridge, with a post-run festival at Richardson Historic Park & Nature Preserve, the event will include prize money in men’s, women’s and nonbinary divisions. —Ben Crandell, Sun Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026

And, people who are transgender or nonbinary and traveling to the United States may also have trouble getting into the country, depending on what gender is listed on their identification forms. —Sofi Zeman april 25, Kansas City Star, 25 Apr. 2026

Women and nonbinary individuals in the same age group were required to have run a marathon in under 3 hours, 25 minutes. —Sara Germano, Sportico.com, 20 Apr. 2026

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

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