Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

cipher

noun
/ˈsaɪ.fər/
Definition
A method of transforming a message to keep its content concealed.
Examples
  • The message was written in a complex cipher that took hours to decode.
  • Cracking the cipher was essential to understanding the secret communication.
  • She learned several ciphers during her time in the intelligence agency.
Meaning
A cipher is a system used to encode or decode messages, making them unreadable to anyone who does not have the key or method to decipher them.
Synonyms
  • code
  • encryption
  • ciphertext