unary

1. programming (or "monadic") A description of a

function or operator which takes one argument, e.g. the

unary minus operator which negates its argument. The term is

part of the same sequence as nullary and binary.

2. data, humour Base one. A number base with only one

digit, namely zero, and which can therefore only be used to

express the number zero. Attempting to add one to zero

results in an infinite sequence of carries. Numbers in unary

notation can be represented particularly efficiently however

since each digit requires no storage.

(2001-02-25)