Meanings
plural ones' complements
- computingThe number obtained by subtracting a given n-digit binary number from 2ⁿ-1 (which yields the same result as the logical complement).
The ones' complement of 0xAAAA is 0x5555 on a 16-bit machine, and 0xFFFF5555 on a 32-bit machine.
- computingThe convention by which bit patterns with high bit 0 represent positive numbers from 0 to 2ⁿ⁻¹-1 directly, while bit patterns with high bit 1 represent negative numbers from 0 to -(2ⁿ⁻¹-1), n being the word size of the machine, and the numeric complement of a number is its ones' complement.
Computers that use ones' complement arithmetic have two representations for zero, all 0's and all 1's.
Synonyms: logical complement
Synonyms & antonyms
nounThe convention by which bit patterns with high bit 0 represent positive numbers from 0 to 2ⁿ⁻¹-1 directly, while bit patterns with high bit 1 represent negative numbers from 0 to -(2ⁿ⁻¹-1), n being the word size of the machine, and the numeric complement of a number is its ones' complement.
Translations
Finnish yhden komplementti, 1-komplementti
- yhden komplementtinumber
- 1-komplementtinumber
- yhden komplementticonvention
Polish kod uzupełnień do jedności, kod uzupełnień do jedności
- kod uzupełnień do jednościnumber
- kod uzupełnień do jednościconvention
Cite this entry
ones' complement. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ones'%20complement
“ones' complement.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ones'%20complement. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ones' complement,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ones'%20complement.
Source: ones' complement on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.