Nonbinary

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. A gender identity that transcends the traditional male and female classifications encompasses a spectrum of identities outside the binary framework
2. Referring to a person or identity that exists outside the conventional dichotomy of male and female genders indicates a diverse range of gender expressions
3. Describing identities that do not fit exclusively within male or female genders

Etymology: "Nonbinary" is a plain formation: the prefix "non-" ("not") attached to "binary," which in this sense refers to the two-part division of gender into male and female. The prefix is ancient, coming through Latin "non" meaning "not," but "binary" comes from the Latin "binarius," meaning "consisting of two," and gained its present sense through mathematics and computing, where it describes systems built on two options. Applied to gender, the word combines these two ideas to name identities that do not sit within that two-part framework. Because it simply negates "binary," the term describes what a person is not rather than offering a single positive definition, which is why it covers a wide range of gender expressions.

Synonyms: genderqueer, gender non-conforming

Antonyms: binary