encryption

noun

en·​cryp·​tion in-ˈkrip-shən 

en-

plural encryptions

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

Examples of encryption in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Artificial intelligence is transforming data security, rendering traditional encryption methods inadequate as sensitive data is vulnerable during computation. — Chuck Brooks, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026

Files are protected with end-to-end encryption in a dedicated Vault, while hosting in Europe ensures GDPR-compliant data handling. — Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 29 June 2026

Stay safe and thank you for using the most secure messenger with end-to-end encryption. — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 29 June 2026

In 1994, mathematician Peter Shor developed Shor’s algorithm, a method that could be used by quantum computers to crack RSA encryption, which secures much of today’s online communication. — Donald Keough, Christian Science Monitor, 27 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1953, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for encryption

• ascription
• conscription
• decryption
• description
• egyptian
• inscription
• prescription
• proscription
• subscription
• transcription
• circumscription
• misdescription