Binary star

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). [1913 Webster]

{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. [1913 Webster]