Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Wheatstone cipher

noun

Definition of Wheatstone cipher

: a progressive-alphabet cipher in which the next alphabet is used whenever the plaintext letter does not stand later in the plain component than the preceding plaintext letter

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

History and Etymology for Wheatstone cipher

after Sir Charles Wheatstone

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about Wheatstone cipher

Share Wheatstone cipher

Statistics for Wheatstone cipher

Look-up Popularity

Comments on Wheatstone cipher

What made you want to look up Wheatstone cipher? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Show Comments  Hide Comments 

WORD OF THE DAY

purview

Listen to the pronounciation of purview

the range of authority or knowledge

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Test Your Vocabulary

Original Meanings Quiz

  • rembrandt-painting-a-young-scholar-and-his-tutor
  • Which of the following is the earliest known sense of the word awe?
True or False

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
SCRABBLE® Sprint

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games