# bit vs byte

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### bit
*noun · IPA /ˈbɪt/ · frequency rank #419*
A piece of metal placed in a horse's mouth and connected to the reins to direct the animal.

### byte
*noun · IPA /baɪt/ · frequency rank #23,771*
A short sequence of bits (binary digits) that can be operated on as a unit by a computer; the smallest usable machine word.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bit-vs-byte