unaligned

Unaligned is an adjective meaning not aligned with a reference point, boundary, or grouping. It is used in physics to describe objects not oriented with a defined axis, in politics to describe voters or groups not formally tied to a party, and in computing to describe data or memory operations that do not respect a natural boundary.

In computing, unaligned memory access occurs when a data item is read from or written to a memory address that is not a multiple of the item’s size. For example, a 4-byte integer at an address not divisible by 4. Some processors handle unaligned accesses directly but with extra cycles or complexity; others trap or fault. Compilers can enforce alignment using attributes or directives, and programmers can avoid unaligned access by data packing, copying with memcpy, or by aligning structures to natural boundaries.

Unaligned data can arise in file formats or network protocols when data fields are packed without respecting word boundaries or endianness. Handling such data requires careful parsing, potential copying, and attention to endianness.

In politics, unaligned (or unaffiliated) describes individuals or voters who do not identify with any party. It can also refer to organizations or movements that position themselves outside traditional blocs. It contrasts with the formally named Non-Aligned Movement, a historical group of states.

See also: memory alignment, unaligned access, data packing, padding, endianness, independent voter.