A format for representing numbers in which the digit is contained in bits 4 through 7 and the sign is contained in bits 0 through 3 of the least significant byte; bits 0 through 3 of all other bytes contain 1's (hex F). For example, in zoned decimal format, the decimal value of +123 is represented as 1111 0001 1111 0010 1111 0011. See also packed decimal format.