In a memory readout circuit, a data register is provided for storing data bits of a word read out of a memory cell array. Connected to the data register is a transfer gate array which is equally divided into groups of first to k-th transfer gates. First to k-th data buffers are connected respectively to the first to k-th transfer gates of different groups. One of the groups of transfer gates is selected and the transfer gates of the selected group transfers first to k-th data bits of unit data from the data register to the first to k-th data buffers, respectively. From the data bits stored in the data buffers, i-th to k-th data bits (where i is in a range from 1 to k) are selected. If i is not equal to k, the stored i-th to (k-1)th data bits are read out of the buffers to an external circuit and the k-th data bit is stored into a latch when the (k-1)th data bit is read out to the output and reads out the k-th data bit from the latch circuit to the external circuit when data bits of subsequent unit data are transferred to the data buffers. If i is equal to k, the k-th data bit is read out of the buffer to the external circuit when data bits of subsequent unit data are transferred to the data buffers.