ciphering
|ci-pher-ing|
B2
/ˈsaɪfərɪŋ/
(cipher)
encoding messages
Etymology
Etymology Information
'cipher' originates from Arabic, specifically the word 'ṣifr', where 'ṣifr' meant 'zero' or 'empty'.
Historical Evolution
'ṣifr' transformed into the Medieval Latin word 'cifra', and eventually became the modern English word 'cipher' through Old French 'cifre'.
Meaning Changes
Initially, it meant 'zero' or 'empty', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'a secret or disguised way of writing'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Verb 1
the act of encoding or decoding a message.
She spent the afternoon ciphering the secret message.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:41