en·cryp·tion
| \ in-ˈkrip-shən
, en- \
, en- \
plural encryptions
Definition of encryption
1
: the act or process of encrypting something : a conversion of something (such as data) into a code or cipher
The regulations … make it harder to provide automatic encryption of information as it passes through the dozens of links in a typical Internet connection …— Paul Wallich … a hacker slips into a system, then puts encryption controls in place that locks users out.— Elizabeth Millard
2
: a code or cipher produced by encrypting something
Artificial intelligence can decode encryptions that previously could not be cracked.— Ana Swanson
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From the Editors at Merriam-Webster
Words of the Week: April 3, 2016
Words of the Week: April 3, 2016
'Communism,' 'encryption,' 'rotten borough,' 'doobie'
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Cite this Entry
“Encryption.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/encryption. Accessed 3 Jul. 2022.
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Time Traveler for encryption
The first known use of encryption was in 1953
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