The Collaborative International Dictionary
Binary \Bi"na*ry\, a. [L. binarius, fr. bini two by two, two at a time, fr. root of bis twice; akin to E. two: cf. F. binaire.] Compounded or consisting of two things or parts; characterized by two (things).
Binary arithmetic, that in which numbers are expressed
according to the binary scale, or in which two figures
only, 0 and 1, are used, in lieu of ten; the cipher
multiplying everything by two, as in common arithmetic by
ten. Thus, 1 is one; 10 is two; 11 is three; 100 is four,
etc.
--Davies & Peck.
Binary compound (Chem.), a compound of two elements, or of an element and a compound performing the function of an element, or of two compounds performing the function of elements.
Binary logarithms, a system of logarithms devised by Euler for facilitating musical calculations, in which 1 is the logarithm of 2, instead of 10, as in the common logarithms, and the modulus 1.442695 instead of .43429448.
Binary measure (Mus.), measure divisible by two or four; common time.
Binary nomenclature (Nat. Hist.), nomenclature in which the names designate both genus and species.
Binary scale (Arith.), a uniform scale of notation whose ratio is two.
Binary star (Astron.), a double star whose members have a revolution round their common center of gravity.
Binary theory (Chem.), the theory that all chemical compounds consist of two constituents of opposite and unlike qualities.
Wiktionary
n. (label en arithmetic) arithmetic using binary numbers
Usage examples of "binary arithmetic".
At the beginning of every page there's a number in binary arithmetic.
What Nicky had called up for me was an old document called On Binary Digits and Human Habits, and it told me all I wanted to know about binary arithmetic and the way to write it and say it.
The reasonable assumption was that any civilization advanced enough to receive the message would be able to understand binary arithmetic.
But, as we know from computers which employ binary arithmetic in which the only figures are 0 and 1, these simple elements can be formed into the most complex and marvelous patterns.