nonbinary

adjective

non·​bi·​na·​ry ˌnän-ˈbī-nə-rē How to pronounce nonbinary (audio)
-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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The campaign also claimed that Barrien was unaware that Lee is nonbinary. Samantha Riedel, Them., 29 Sep. 2025 In the 10 years since, the producer is now fielding requests to participate by some of Hollywood’s biggest and most influential women and nonbinary creatives. Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 20 Sep. 2025 Nearly half of Wisconsin's trans and nonbinary youths in the state thought about suicide. Natalie Eilbert, jsonline.com, 18 Sep. 2025 Smith’s inclusion marks a new milestone for inclusivity at the top of the bill, given the festival’s commitment to representing not just female-identifying but nonbinary artists. Chris Willman, Variety, 18 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for nonbinary

Word History

First Known Use

1863, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nonbinary was in 1863

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Cite this Entry

“Nonbinary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonbinary. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.

Medical Definition

nonbinary

adjective
non·​bi·​na·​ry -ˈbī-nə-rē How to pronounce nonbinary (audio)
-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
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