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

There are still so few stories about butch women, transmasculine, genderqueer, or nonbinary bodies—the kind of bodies that have been called monstrous all our lives. —Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026

What was the impetus behind having Sam as the first nonbinary headliner at a festival that is so famous for following in the tradition of Lilith Fair’s female lineups? —Chris Willman, Variety, 20 Jan. 2026

Another storyline that sparked a reaction was with Ainsley’s nonbinary roommate, Paigyn (Bobbi Salvör Menuez). —Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 19 Jan. 2026

According to the Atra report, 58% of rabbis surveyed identify as women, 30% as men, and 12% as nonbinary. —Grace Gilson, Sun Sentinel, 5 Jan. 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