bit depth

This term is a technical specification used primarily in digital signal processing, audio engineering, and computer graphics. It describes the precision of a digital sample; a higher value allows for a more accurate representation of the original analog signal, reducing quantization error and increasing the signal-to-noise ratio.

In a visual context, it refers to the number of possible colors or shades of gray available for each pixel. In audio, it dictates the dynamic range, where each additional bit adds approximately 6 decibels of headroom. It is almost always used as a compound noun in professional and technical registers.