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<data, architecture> A computer architecture in which, within a given 16- or 32-bit word, bytes at lower addresses have lower significance (the word is stored "little-end-first"). The PDP-11 and VAX families of computers and Intel microprocessors and a lot of communications and networking hardware are little-endian.
The term is sometimes used to describe the ordering of units other than bytes; most often, bits within a byte.
Compare big-endian, middle-endian. See NUXI problem.
(1995-08-16)
Nearby terms: lithium lick « LitProg « LITTLE « little-endian » Little Smalltalk » live data » Live Free Or Die!
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