cipher

views updated May 09 2018

ci·pher / ˈsīfər/ (also cy·pher) • n. 1. a secret or disguised way of writing; a code: he was writing cryptic notes in a cipher | the information may be given in cipher. ∎  a thing written in such a code. ∎  a key to such a code.2. dated a zero; a figure 0. ∎ fig. a person or thing of no importance, esp. a person who does the bidding of others and seems to have no will of their own.3. a monogram.4. a continuous sounding of an organ pipe, caused by a mechanical defect.• v. 1. [tr.] put (a message) into secret writing; encode.2. [intr.] archaic do arithmetic.

cipher

views updated May 29 2018

cipher, cypher
A. .(arith.) symbol by itself denoting ‘nothing’ XIV; nonentity; Arabic numeral XVI;

B. .secret manner of writing; †hieroglyph XVI; literal device, monogram XVII;

C. .continuous sounding of a note on an organ due to mechanical defect XVIII. ME. siphre, sipher — OF. sif(f)re (mod. chiffre) — medL. cif(e)ra, partly through It. cifra, †cifera f. Arab. ṣifr ZERO, sb. use of adj. ‘empty’, f. ṣafira be empty.
Hence as vb. work sums; write in cipher. XVI. Cf. DECIPHER.

cipher

views updated May 29 2018

cipher
1. An algorithm employed for encryption, or, in its inverse form, for decryption. See cryptography.

2. An encrypted message.

cipher

views updated May 29 2018

cipher a secret or disguised way of writing; a code. The term comes (in late Middle English, in the senses ‘symbol for zero’ and ‘arabic numeral’) from Old French, based on Arabic ṣifr ‘zero’.

cipher

views updated May 21 2018

cipher See cryptography

cipher

views updated May 14 2018

cipher, ciphering. Continuous sounding of a note on the org. because of some mechanical defect.