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

Cole Escola becoming the first nonbinary actor to win best leading actor in a play at the Tony Awards. —Usa Today, USA Today, 30 Dec. 2025

Konno is nonbinary, and their pantomime is consciously inclusive of LGBTQ people, featuring a nonbinary character in the lead role of Dor, and a message that people should accept people who are different from them. —Robbie Griffiths, NPR, 27 Dec. 2025

In the nonprofit's 2024 survey, The Trevor Project found that nearly half of all transgender and nonbinary youths living in Wisconsin considered suicide. —Natalie Eilbert, jsonline.com, 19 Dec. 2025

Cast members Heidi Gardner, Michael Longfellow, Devon Walker and Emil Wakim all departed after the milestone season, as did the show’s first-ever out trans and nonbinary staff writer, Celeste Yim. —Jami Ganz, Denver Post, 19 Dec. 2025

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