Word of the Day

: March 14, 2022

cryptography

noun krip-TAH-gruh-fee

What It Means

Cryptography is the enciphering and deciphering of messages in secret code or cipher. It is also the computerized encoding and decoding of information.

// Effective cryptography is essential for secure exchanges of sensitive information in cyberspace.

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cryptography in Context

"Cryptocurrency is a digital currency designed to work as a medium of exchange that uses strong cryptography to secure financial transactions, control the creation of additional units and verify the transfer of assets." — Jacob Maslow, The Louisville (Kentucky) Cardinal, 2 Feb. 2022

Did You Know?

For a word having to do with secrets, cryptography has a surprisingly transparent origin. The word comes from Greek kryptós, meaning "hidden" or "secret," and graphein, meaning "to write." Besides the familiar related words of the same origin, such as cryptic, there is krypton, the name of a colorless gaseous element used especially in some fluorescent lamps and photography flashes. The name was chosen because the gas is rare and hard to find.