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Definition of byte

byte

/baɪt/
byte
Plural:bytes
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byte Lexical Profile

byte Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight adjacent binary digits (bits), often used to encode a single character of text.

Example

"The program requires several million bytes of free memory to run smoothly."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for byte

Word Nuance & Usage

Do not confuse the computing unit 'byte' with its homophone 'bite' (to cut with the teeth), or with a 'bit' (a single binary digit, eight of which typically make up one byte).

• Rhymes for byte

• Nearby Words

byproduct
byroad
bystander
byte
byway
byword
byzantine

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in 1956 by American computer scientist Werner Buchholz during the design of the IBM Stretch computer; it is a deliberate respelling of 'bite' chosen to avoid accidental mutation into 'bit'.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Byte. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/byte
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