nybble

Definition

Alternative spelling of nibble (“unit of memory equal to half a byte, or chiefly four bits”).

Etymology

From nibble (“small, quick bite”), with the i changed to y by analogy with byte.

Example Sentences

• "I own several abaci and two books on how to use them, but they all have four counters below the bar and one counter above it. […] The bottom four counters of each abacus can be used to represent a "nybble," and the upper counter on each can be used for parity."
• "At every negative-going transition it reads a 4-bit ADPCM nybble (there are 2 nybbles per byte) and stores it in a memory-resident table."
• "Data is being received by a system in serial sequences of four bit nybbles. (A nybble is usually defined as a four bit grouping.) […] Our mission, should we decide to accept it, is to test each nybble and determine whether or not the four bits constitute a valid BCD (8421) number."