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Glite Dictionary
nybble

nybble

9.9
Four bits that equal half a byte in computers
  • noun
  • /ˈnɪbəl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : nybble
  • Programming with nybbles requires careful bit manipulation.

Examples

  • The processor can operate on both a nybble and a full byte.

  • A nybble consists of four bits.

  • Each hexadecimal digit represents a nybble in binary code.

  • The computer processes each nybble quickly.

  • In computer science, a nybble consists of four bits, which is half of a byte.

  • To represent a single hexadecimal digit, only one nybble is needed.

  • When converting binary data, each nybble corresponds to a different hexadecimal value.

Synonyms

nibble
vsnybble
  • Specialized
8.6

A group of four bits used to store a small amount of computer data

is the alternative spelling that has the same meaning in computing

Surface Forms

nybble singular
nybbles plural

Etymology

Nybble comes from the everyday word nibble, which means 'small bite', and its spelling was changed to match the computer word byte. So a nybble is a 'small bite' of data, half of a byte, or four bits, which makes it easy to remember.