ciphertext

noun

ci·​pher·​text ˈsī-fər-ˌtekst How to pronounce ciphertext (audio)
: the enciphered form of a text or of its elements compare plaintext

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web To mitigate this risk, organizations should transform the original information into ciphertext before the transfer, so only the receiving party can decrypt it. Joe Monaghan, Forbes, 20 Apr. 2023 Enlarge / Sample ciphertext (F38) found in the archives of the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, now attributed to Mary, Queen of Scots. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 8 Feb. 2023 This encryption algorithm can enable payment applications to write encrypted data and use the same ciphertext to process data. Tirthankar Dutta, Forbes, 15 June 2021 In essence, bounded-​distance decoding is the problem of recovering the original lattice point from this ciphertext. Adrienne Bernhard, Popular Mechanics, 26 Oct. 2021 This new method can enable applications to work on ciphertext and can remove the dependency of decryption. Tirthankar Dutta, Forbes, 15 June 2021 The converted letters would then be transcribed to derive the ciphertext. Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, 4 Dec. 2020 Rather than send voters home with a binder full of hexadecimal gibberish, the computer would print the ciphertext as something much smaller: a hash code, much like how a URL is shortened into a Bit.ly. Benjamin Wofford, Wired, 15 Sep. 2020 At its most basic, encryption is the act of converting plaintext (like a credit card number) into unintelligible ciphertext using a very large, random number called a key. Andrew Grotto For Cnn Business Perspectives, CNN, 28 Jan. 2020 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ciphertext.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1939, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ciphertext was in 1939

Dictionary Entries Near ciphertext

Cite this Entry

“Ciphertext.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ciphertext. Accessed 3 Jun. 2023.

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