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The term ''nibble'' originates from the fact that the term ''byte'' is a [[pun]] on the [[English (language)|English]] word ''bite''. A nibble is a small bite, or half a bite. The ''nybble'' spelling parallels the spelling of ''byte''.
The term ''nibble'' originates from the fact that the term ''byte'' is a [[pun]] on the [[English (language)|English]] word ''bite''. A nibble is a small bite, or half a bite. The ''nybble'' spelling parallels the spelling of ''byte''.

In earlier times, when [[computer storage]] was at a premium, the practice of optimizing memory at the expense of processing speed was known as ''nybble byting'' or ''byte nybbling''.




==See also==
==See also==

Revision as of 09:35, 3 May 2005

In computing, a nibble (or less commonly, nybble) is 4 bits, or half an octet (an 8-bit byte). Being four bits, there are sixteen (24) possible values, so a nibble corresponds to a single hexadecimal digit (thus, it is often referred to as a "hex digit"). A full byte is represented by two hexadecimal digits; therefore, it is common to display a byte of information as two nibbles.

The term nibble originates from the fact that the term byte is a pun on the English word bite. A nibble is a small bite, or half a bite. The nybble spelling parallels the spelling of byte.

See also


Nibbles is the name of a video game that is present on many modern mobile phones.