middle-endian

from Jargon File (4.4.4, 14 Aug 2003)

middle-endian
 adj.

   Not {big-endian} or {little-endian}. Used of perverse byte orders such
   as 3-4-1-2 or 2-1-4-3, occasionally found in the packed-decimal
   formats of minicomputer manufacturers who shall remain nameless. See
   {NUXI problem}. Non-US hackers use this term to describe the American
   mm/dd/yy style of writing dates (Europeans write little-endian
   dd/mm/yy, and Japanese use big-endian yy/mm/dd for Western dates).

from The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)

middle-endian

   <data, architecture> Neither {big-endian} nor {little-endian}.
   Used of perverse byte orders such as 3-4-1-2 or 2-1-4-3,
   occasionally found in the {packed decimal} formats of some
   {minicomputer} manufacturers.

   See {-endian}.

   [{Jargon File}]

   (1998-08-09)