[summary: The trinary analog of the Bit. Depending on the context, a trit can mean any of the following things:
- Abstract trit: one thing from a set of three
- Trit of data: the amount of data carried by an object that can be put into three states
- Trit of information: $~$\log_2(3) \approx 1.58$~$ Sh of information
- Trit of evidence: $~$3:1$~$ evidence in favor of a specific hypothesis]
A trit is the trinary analog of the Bit: Where a bit says 2, a trit says 3. "Trit," like "bit," is overloaded:
- An abstract trit (analog of the abstract bit) is an element of a set with three elements. Thus, there are three abstract trits. They are often denoted 0, 1, and 2.
- A trit of data (analog of a bit of data) is the amount of data that can be carried by a physical object that can be placed in any one of three states.
- A trit of information (analog of a Shannon) is the amount of information someone receives when they start out maximally uncertain about which one of three outcomes happened, and then they learn which one happened. A trit of information is $~$\log_2(3)\approx 1.58$~$ bits of information.
- A trit of evidence (analog of a [evidence_bit bit of evidence]) in favor of a hypothesis is an observation that is three times as likely if the hypothesis is true (versus if the hypothesis is false).
"Trit" is a portmanteau of "trinary digit."