LSW

LSW is an acronym that can refer to several terms across different domains. The most widely used meaning is least significant word.

In computing and digital arithmetic, a multiword integer is represented as a sequence of fixed-size words (for example 16, 32, or 64 bits). The least significant word is the element containing the lower-order bits, i.e., the portion with the smallest numeric weight. In little-endian systems, the LSW is stored at the lowest memory address, while in big-endian systems it may appear last when reading the number left to right. Algorithms for multiword addition, subtraction, multiplication, and modular reduction often operate on words starting from the LSW, with carries propagating toward higher-significance words. The concept of an LSW is also relevant in cryptographic and digital signal processing implementations that manipulate large numbers by dividing them into words.

Beyond computing, LSW is used as an initialism in various fields, referring to organizations, institutions, or terms whose full names begin with L, S, and W. Because there is no single standardized list of these meanings, the intended expansion of LSW depends on the context in which it appears. When encountering the acronym, it is helpful to rely on surrounding information to determine which specific meaning is intended.