hexadecimal

[hek-suh-des-uh-muh l]

adjective Computers, Mathematics.

Also hex. of or relating to a numbering system that uses 16 as the radix, employing the numerals 0 through 9 and representing digits greater than 9 with the letters A through F.

relating to or encoded in a hexadecimal system, especially for use by a digital computer.

Nearby words

Origin of hexadecimal

First recorded in 1955–60; hexa- + decimal

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for hexadecimal

hexadecimal

adjective

relating to or using a number system whose base is 16 rather than 10

noun Also called: hexadecimal notation

a number system having a base 16; the symbols for the numbers 0–9 are the same as those used in the decimal system, and the numbers 10–15 are usually represented by the letters A–F. The system is used as a convenient way of representing the internal binary code of a computer

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for hexadecimal

1954 (adj.); 1970 (n.); from hexa- + decimal.

Science definitions for hexadecimal

hexadecimal

[hĕk′sə-dĕs′ə-məl]

Of, relating to, or based on the number 16.♦ The hexadecimal number system is a way of representing numbers where each successive digit or number represents a multiple of a power of 16. It uses the digits 0-9 plus the letters A, B, C, D, E, and F to represent the decimal values 10-15. For example, 4B7E represents (4 X 163) + (11 X 162) + (7 X 161) + (15 X 160), or 19,327 in the decimal system.