meta bit
:meta bit: n. The top bit of an 8-bit character, which is on in character
values 128-255. Also called high bit
, alt bit
, or (rarely) hobbit
Some terminals and consoles (see space-cadet keyboard
have a META
shift key. Others (including, _mirabile dictu_, keyboards on IBM
PC-class machines) have an ALT key. See also bucky bits
Historical note: although in modern usage shaped by a universe of
8-bit bytes the meta bit is invariably hex 80 (octal 0200), things were
different on earlier machines with 36-bit words and 9-bit bytes. The MIT
and Stanford keyboards (see space-cadet keyboard
generated hex 100
(octal 400) from their meta keys.
Jargon File Version 4.3.1, 29 JUN 2001 =
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