public-key

noun

pub·​lic-key ˈpə-blik-ˈkē 

often attributive

: a cryptographic element that is the publicly shared half of an encryption code and that can be used only to encode messages

Examples of public-key in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Entire categories of public-key cryptography will eventually require replacement with post-quantum algorithms. — Evgeny Gervis, Forbes.com, 22 Sep. 2026

Turning Shor into hardware Shor’s algorithm has long provided the theoretical route for breaking public-key cryptography with quantum computers. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 8 Sep. 2026

Washington has restricted the export of sensitive technology before, from public-key cryptography in the 1970s to nuclear technology. — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 23 June 2026

Rodriguez points to advances in domain name system security extensions (DNSSEC), which uses digital signatures based on public-key cryptography to strengthen the authentication of the domain name system. — IEEE Spectrum, 6 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1976, in the meaning defined above