What is bigger than a bit and smaller than a byte?
By submitting your email address, you agree to receive emails regarding relevant topic offers from TechTarget and its partners. You can withdraw your consent at any time. Contact TechTarget at 275 Grove Street, Newton, MA.
In computers and digital technology, a nibble (pronounced NIHB-uhl; sometimes spelled nybble) is four binary digits or half of an eight-bit byte. A nibble can be conveniently represented by one hexadecimal digit.
Like crumb, nibble carries on the "edible data" metaphor established with bit and byte.
In communications, a nibble is sometimes referred to as a "quadbit." or one of 16 possible four-bit combinations. A signal may be encoded in quadbits rather than one bit at a time. Nibble interleaving or multiplexing takes a quadbit or nibble from a lower-speed channel as input for a multiplexed signal on a higher-speed channel.
Related Q&A from Amy Kucharik
Learn what network latency is in this expert response.continue reading
Learn what the true definition of a download is and whether going from one Web site to another falls under this category in this Q&A with Amy ...continue reading
Learn about Multiprotocol Label Switching in this Q&A with Amy Kucharik.continue reading
Have a question for an expert?
Please add a title for your question
Get answers from a TechTarget expert on whatever's puzzling you.