bit

1 of 4

noun (1)

1
a(1)
: the biting or cutting edge or part of a tool
(2)
: a replaceable part of a compound tool that actually performs the function (such as drilling or boring) for which the whole tool is designed
put a new bit in the drill
used a 1/4 inch bit to make the hole
b
bits plural : the jaws (see jaw entry 1 sense 2a) of tongs or pincers
2
: something bitten or held with the teeth:
a
: the usually steel part of a bridle inserted in the mouth of a horse
b
: the rimmed mouth end on the stem of a pipe or cigar holder
3
: something that curbs or restrains
4
: the part of a key that enters the lock and acts on the bolt and tumblers (see tumbler sense 3a)

Illustration of bit

Illustration of bit
  • 1curb
  • 2 snaffle

bit

2 of 4

verb

bitted; bitting

transitive verb

1
a
: to put part of a bridle in the mouth of (a horse) : to put a bit (see bit entry 1 sense 2a) in the mouth of (a horse)
b
: to control as if with a bit
2
: to form a bit (see bit entry 1 sense 4) on (a key)

bit

3 of 4

noun (2)

plural bits
1
: a small quantity of food
especially : a small delicacy
2
a
: a small piece or quantity of some material thing
broken bits of glass
picking bits of lint off her sweater
b(1)
British : a coin of a specified small denomination
a threepenny bit
(2)
: a unit of value equal to ¹/₈ of a U.S. dollar (12 ¹/₂ cents)
used only of even multiples
four bits

Note: No coin was ever issued in this amount.

see also two bits sense 1
3
: something small or unimportant of its kind: such as
a
: a brief period : while
wait a bit longer
see also a bit, a little bit
b
: an indefinite usually small degree, extent, or amount
a bit of a rascal
every bit as powerful
a bit too sweet
see also a bit, a bit much, a little bit
c theater
(1)
: a small part usually with spoken lines in a theatrical performance
a bit part
bit players
(2)
: a usually short theatrical routine
a corny comedy bit
4
: the aggregate of items, situations, or activities appropriate to a given style, genre, or role
rejected the whole bit about love-marriage-motherhoodVance Packard

bit

4 of 4

noun (3)

1
computers : a unit of computer information equivalent to the result of a choice between two alternatives (such as yes or no, on or off)
2
computers : the physical representation of a bit by an electrical pulse, a magnetized spot, or a hole whose presence or absence indicates data
Phrases
bit by bit
: by degrees : little by little
getting better bit by bit
to bits
: totally, thoroughly
thrilled to bits

Examples of bit in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
And a little bit of Jazz, mostly cool jazz and Brazilian jazz/samba these days. Liza Lentini, SPIN, 15 Mar. 2024 After a while, these kind of harmonic tones really start to sound a little bit like electronic tones. Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 15 Mar. 2024 The refresh that dropped on Friday morning (March 15) features the singer/actress’ original verses about laying all her cards out, not playing around and making a love work on her own terms, as well as a new bit in which YUQI, Minnie, Soyeon and Mieyon drop in for a verse in English and Korean. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 15 Mar. 2024 At least Biden is kind of making fun of himself a little bit on TikTok . Lauren Goode Michael Calore, WIRED, 14 Mar. 2024 The price of the extended Virgin cruise is a fair bit more as well. Chris Morris, Fortune, 13 Mar. 2024 Some of these online models are a little bit generic. Jacqueline Howard, CNN, 13 Mar. 2024 And Harriman, understandably, did not like that one bit. Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 13 Mar. 2024 The same can be said of our home tour this month, where a pair of music-industry bigwigs give us the run of their fabulous New Jersey mansion, full of memorabilia, fun (loving the bowling alley), and clever time-saving hacks that make their lives just that little bit easier. Paul Croughton, Robb Report, 3 Mar. 2024
Verb
His chest still bears a deep indentation from something that bit him in his first week. Katharine Houreld, Washington Post, 6 Jan. 2024 Communication errors bit them numerous times last week at Baltimore. Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 4 Jan. 2024 The escalating tensions have been well documented in town Facebook groups and the local paper: In 2022, neighbors were aghast when a resident from the Pleasantville campus stole a chicken from a coop in a nearby backyard and bit its head off. Abigail Kramer, ProPublica, 3 Jan. 2024 The bear charged and bit the man several times, according to the sheriff's office. Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 13 Dec. 2023 Mammals bit back at dinosaurs Mammals were not the meek underdogs of the Mesozoic world that they’ve often been characterized as. Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Dec. 2023 Future work may reveal more about the type of creature that bit Eustace. Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 29 Nov. 2023 However, when Jacob took the shell out of his pocket to give to her, a blue-ringed octopus emerged and bit him — seconds before the toddler held the shell in her own hands. Cara Lynn Shultz, Peoplemag, 5 Dec. 2023 The animal that bit him was seemingly able to pierce his wetsuit. Abigail Adams, Peoplemag, 17 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bit.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English bite, bit "bite of an animal, cutting edge, point, mouthpiece of a bridle," going back to Old English bite "bite of an animal, cut from a weapon," going back to Germanic *biti- (whence Old Saxon biti "bite, sting," Old High German biz [gebiz "mouthpiece of a bridle"], Old Norse bit), noun derivative from the base of *bītan- "to bite" — more at bite entry 1

Verb

derivative of bit entry 1

Noun (2)

Middle English bite, bit "mouthful of food, morsel," going back to Old English bita, bite, going back to Germanic *bitan- (whence Middle Dutch bete "morsel," Old High German bizzo, Old Norse biti), noun derivative from the base of *bītan- "to bite" — more at bite entry 1

Noun (3)

from binary digit

Note: The term bit was introduced into general circulation by Claude shannon in "A Mathematical Theory of Communication," Bell System Technical Journal, vol. 27, July, 1948, p. 380: "The choice of a logarithmic base corresponds to the choice of a unit for measuring information. If the base 2 is used the resulting units may be called binary digits, or more briefly bits, a word suggested by J.W. Tukey." The American mathematician John W. Tukey (1915-2000) had used the word in a Bell Labs memorandum, "Sequential Conversion of Continuous Data to Digital Data," dated January 9, 1947. Tukey employed bit as a counterpart in a binary system to digit in the decimal system. For details see "The Origin of Bit" in the "Anecdotes" section of Annals of the History of Computing, vol 6, no. 2 (April, 1984), pp. 152-55.

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

1583, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (3)

1948, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bit was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near bit

Cite this Entry

“Bit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bit. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

bit

1 of 3 noun
1
: the usually metal bar attached to a bridle and put in the mouth of a horse
2
: the biting or cutting edge or part of a tool
the drill bit

bit

2 of 3 noun
1
: a small piece or amount
2
: a short time
rest a bit

bit

3 of 3 noun
1
: a unit of computer information that represents the selection of one of two possible choices (as yes or no, on or off)
2
: something (as an electrical pulse, a magnetized spot, or a punched hole) that physically represents a bit
Etymology

Noun

Old English bite "act of biting"

Noun

earlier bit "small piece of food," from Old English bita (same meaning)

Noun

binary digit

More from Merriam-Webster on bit

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