steganography

noun

steg·​a·​nog·​ra·​phy ˌste-gə-ˈnä-grə-fē 

1

archaic : cryptography

2

: the art or practice of concealing a message, image, or file within another message, image, or file

steganographic

ˌste-gə-nə-ˈgra-fik 

adjective

Did you know?

Steganography is a word that was resurrected after being in disuse for almost 150 years! It was put to rest in the early 1800s, labeled an archaic synonym of "cryptography" by dictionary makers, but was brought back to life in the 1980s as a word for a type of digital cryptography. There is nothing cryptic about the word's origin; it is based on the Greek word steganos, meaning "covered" or "reticent."

Examples of steganography in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The security flaw relies on steganography—the practice of hiding a message within another message. —IEEE Spectrum, 16 Jan. 2015

Szczypiorski calls his program StegIbiza — steganography perfect for Ibiza. —Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 24 Aug. 2016

But if Russian espionage seems old school, steganography is older still. —Joseph Calamia, Discover Magazine, 2 July 2010

Using steganography to hide their communications in plain sight. —Dipesh Ranjan, Forbes, 3 Jan. 2023

Although Easter eggs — covert messages planted within books, video games, films, TV shows and songs, or on social media — are now part of the cultural fun, steganography began as an early fight for free speech. —Nick Haramis, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2023

Threat actors may use steganography—a technique for hiding messages within other messages or files—to conceal their communications from a threat intelligence platform. —Dipesh Ranjan, Forbes, 3 Jan. 2023

Szczypiorski’s technique fits in with the long tradition of steganography — the practice of hiding secret messages in plain sight. —Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 24 Aug. 2016

Stegmap malware uses steganography, the hiding of code within an ordinary-looking image file to evade detection. —Davey Winder, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2022

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Word History

Etymology

New Latin steganographia, from Greek steganos covered, reticent (from stegein to cover) + Latin -graphia -graphy — more at thatch

First Known Use

1985, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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