SHR

Shr is a term most often encountered in computing as a shorthand for a bitwise shift-right operation. In this operation, each bit of a binary value is moved to the right by a specified number of positions. Bits that are shifted out on the right are discarded, while the bits that are shifted in on the left depend on the type of shift being performed.

In x86 assembly, SHR is the mnemonic for a logical right shift. It shifts the bits of a destination operand by a given count, which can be an immediate value or supplied from the CL register. A related instruction, SAR, performs an arithmetic right shift, which preserves the sign bit for signed numbers. SHR and SAR can operate on registers or memory operands, and they typically affect processor flags to reflect the last bit shifted out.

In higher-level programming languages, the same concept is exposed as a right-shift operator (often written as >>). The exact behavior—such as whether the shift is logical or arithmetic for signed values and how many bits are shifted—depends on the language and platform.

Beyond computing, SHR can appear as an acronym in various other domains, but there is no single universal meaning outside its technical usage. Context determines its intended interpretation in non-computing settings.

See also: Right shift, Logical shift, Arithmetic shift, Bitwise operations, Assembly language.