Meaning of cipher in English

Table of contents
  1. Pronunciation
  2. Verb
    1. Definitions
  3. Noun
    1. Etymology
    2. Definitions

  1. Pronunciation

    /ˈsaɪfər/

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  1. Verb

    cipher

    Definitions

    1. convert ordinary language into code

    Examples

    • « We should encode the message for security reasons »

    Antonyms

    Derived terms

  2. 2. make a mathematical calculation or computation

    Derived terms

  3. Noun

    cipher

    Etymology

    late Middle English (in the senses ‘symbol for zero’ and ‘Arabic numeral’): from Old French cifre, based on Arabic ṣifr‘zero’

    Definitions

    1. a message written in a secret code

    Derived terms

  4. 2. a mathematical element that when added to another number yields the same number

    Derived terms

  5. 3. a quantity of no importance

    Examples

    • « it looked like nothing I had ever seen before »
    • « reduced to nil all the work we had done »
    • « we racked up a pathetic goose egg »
    • « it was all for naught »
    • « I didn't hear zilch about it »

    Derived terms

  6. 4. a person of no influence
  7. 5. a secret method of writing

    Derived terms

Famous quotes

  • « Age is only a number, a cipher for the records. A man can't retire his experience. He must use it. Experience achieves more with less energy and time. »
    Bernard Baruch

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