Binary

a. [Fr. binaire, Lat. binarius, from bini, two by two, two and two.] Compounded of two.

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 two; the cipher multiplying every thing by 2, as in common arithmetic by 10. Thus, 1 is one: 10 is two; 11 is three; 100 is four, &c. 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.), that used in common time, in which the time of rising, in beating, is equal to the time of falling. Moore. — 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.