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.
Malek and Corrin, who is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns, first sparked romance rumors in July 2023 when they were seen together at a Bruce Springsteen concert in London. Raven Brunner, People.com, 13 Apr. 2025 Kazen-Maddox, 36, an American Sign Language dancer, choreographer and filmmaker who is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns. Sarah Bahr, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025 Corrin, who is nonbinary, will also executive produce the series. Jessica Wang, EW.com, 10 Apr. 2025 A day to be seen Monday is Transgender Day of Visibility – a day that honors transgender, nonbinary and gender-expansive people. Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 31 Mar. 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 22 Apr. 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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