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 records don't establish whether parents were told about the facilitator handbook's guidance on gender identity, pronouns and nonbinary participants. — Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026 For Hawka, the story is also an extension of their own experiences as a nonbinary person with Indigenous roots. — Katherine Brodsky, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026 These signals seemed to draw more families, more women, and more nonbinary people—people who might not otherwise have gone to a ninth-division football ground in south Manchester. — Vanda Mayer, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2026 The event takes place during the three-day Through Her Lens program, which supports female and nonbinary filmmakers through a lineup of workshops, conversations and industry mentorship, sponsored by Tribeca and Chanel. — Leigh Nordstrom, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2026 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 20 Oct. 2026.

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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