---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The term bit (the contraction, by 40…"
description: "\"“The term bit (the contraction, by 40 bits, of “binary digit”) was coined by statistician John W. Tukey shortly after he joined von Neumann’s project i..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73a/george-b-dyson-84762_bits_the-term-bit-the-contraction-by-40-bits_666073.jpg"
---

#  The term bit (the contraction, by 40 bits, of “binary…

![“The term bit (the contraction, by 40 bits, of “binary digit”) was coined by statistician John W. Tukey shortly after he joined von Neumann’s project in November of 1945.” quote by George B. Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73a/george-b-dyson-84762_bits_the-term-bit-the-contraction-by-40-bits_666073.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73a/george-b-dyson-84762_bits_the-term-bit-the-contraction-by-40-bits_666073.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73a/george-b-dyson-84762_bits_the-term-bit-the-contraction-by-40-bits_666073.jpg)

> ““The term bit (the contraction, by 40 bits, of “binary digit”) was coined by statistician John W. Tukey shortly after he joined von Neumann’s project in November of 1945.””

George B. Dyson

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

John Tukey introduced the term “bit” in 1945 while working on early computer projects.

**In simple terms:** Tukey coined “bit”.

Key Takeaway

Recognize foundational terms.

Themes

technology history computer science

Mood

educational historical

Type

technical informative

When to use this quote

- education
- tech talks
- historical research
- software development

Key Concepts

information theory binary linguistics

Questions to Reflect On

- Why is “bit” important today?
- How did early computing shape modern tech?

A Different Perspective

Terminology evolves, causing confusion.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/)

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