two-valued

IPA/tˈuːvˈaljuːd/
IPA/tˈuːvˈæljuːd/

two-valued — adjective

1. allowing only two possible truth results, so a statement must count as either tr

1.adjectiveC2
Definition

allowing only two possible truth results, so a statement must count as either true or false.

Example

In logic class, Professor Lin called the system two-valued, with no middle answer.

system limited to true-or-false outcomes

The quiz used a two-valued rule, so each claim was simply right or wrong.

two-valued rule forcing a yes-or-no judgment

Common collocations
  • two-valued logic
  • two-valued system
  • two-valued model
  • two-valued semantics
Synonyms
  • bivalent

    formal logic term for allowing exactly two truth values

  • binary

    broader term for any two-state system, not always about truth

Antonyms
  • many-valued

    allows more than two possible truth values

  • three-valued

    adds a third value such as unknown or indeterminate

  • fuzzy

    allows degrees instead of only two truth options

Grammar Patterns

two-valued + noun

Usage Note

Usually modifies words such as logic, system, model, or semantics. It emphasizes that nothing can count as partly true, unknown, or both at once.

Common Mistakes

The coin is two-valued because it has two sides.
The code uses a two-valued test, so each statement is either true or false.
this word is about logical values, not about having two physical parts.

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Two-valued and bivalent are very close technical terms in logic. 'Two-valued' highlights that every statement is assigned only one of two truth results. 'Binary' is broader and often describes any two-state system, such as a switch or computer code, even when truth is not the main focus. 'Many-valued' is the contrast term for systems that allow more than two possible results.

bivalentbinary ↗many-valued

Common collocations

Phrases

  • two-valued logic
  • two-valued system
  • two-valued model
  • two-valued semantics

Etymology

English

Two-valued is a modern English compound built from 'two' and 'valued'. In logic, a value is the result assigned to a statement, so the adjective came to describe systems that allow only two such results.