Word of the Day

: November 26, 2006

steganography

noun steg-uh-NAH-gruh-fee

What It Means

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

steganography in Context

No doubt, the Internet has enriched society, but it has a flip side; terrorists, for instance, can secretly network online using steganography.

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."