Source : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

little-endian
     
         A computer architecture in which, within
        a given 16- or 32-bit {word}, bytes at lower addresses have
        lower significance (the word is stored "little-end-first").
        The {PDP-11} and {VAX} families of computers and {Intel}
        {microprocessor}s and a lot of communications and networking
        hardware are little-endian.
     
        The term is sometimes used to describe the ordering of units
        other than bytes; most often, bits within a byte.
     
        Compare {big-endian}, {middle-endian}.  See {NUXI problem}.
     
        [{Jargon File}]
     
        (1995-08-16)