Question

Why is a bit, called a bit. Why is a 8-bits a Byte? What made people call a 16-bits a Word, and so on. Where and why did their alias come about?

I would love other people to include things like basic ASM types, then branch out to C/C++ and move on to SQL and the like’s datatypes.

1. 1-Bit
   1. Bit – binary Unit
   2. Bool – Named after the inventor of boolen logic George Boole.
2. 4-Bits
   1. Nibble – Half the size of bite/byte.
3. 8-Bits
   1. Byte – Coined from “bite” but respelled to avoid accidental mutation to “bit”.
   2. Char
   3. Octet – Is a grouping of eight bits, from the Latin “octo” meaning “eight”.
4. 16-Bits
   1. Word (unsigned integer)
   2. short (signed integer)
5. 32-Bits
   1. Double Word
   2. int (signed integers)
   3. unsigned (unsigned integer)
   4. float (4-byte float)

Answer 1

Wikipedia is your friend:

• bit
• nibble
• byte
• “char” is just short for “character”
• “short” is an alias for “short int”
• word “is the native or most efficient size the CPU can handle” (thanks to Tony for pointing that out).
• “int” is short for “integer”. The size is undefined (can be 16, 32 or 64 bits).
• “float” is short for “floating point number”
• “double” is short for “double precision floating point number”