ciphertext

noun

ci·​pher·​text ˈsī-fər-ˌtekst How to pronounce ciphertext (audio)
: the enciphered form of a text or of its elements compare plaintext

Examples of ciphertext in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The ciphertext provides no information about the original plaintext, making the encryption theoretically unbreakable. Tracy Levine, Forbes, 10 Sep. 2024 The researchers were able to crack it in less than a minute using a standard laptop and just four ciphertexts. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 25 July 2023 An operator would use the keys to type plaintext, and the converted ciphertext would be reflected in 26 lights above the keys—one light for each converted letter. Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, 4 Dec. 2020 To mitigate this risk, organizations should transform the original information into ciphertext before the transfer, so only the receiving party can decrypt it. Joe Monaghan, Forbes, 20 Apr. 2023 Enlarge / Sample ciphertext (F38) found in the archives of the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, now attributed to Mary, Queen of Scots. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 8 Feb. 2023 This encryption algorithm can enable payment applications to write encrypted data and use the same ciphertext to process data. Tirthankar Dutta, Forbes, 15 June 2021 In essence, bounded-​distance decoding is the problem of recovering the original lattice point from this ciphertext. Adrienne Bernhard, Popular Mechanics, 26 Oct. 2021 This new method can enable applications to work on ciphertext and can remove the dependency of decryption. Tirthankar Dutta, Forbes, 15 June 2021

Word History

First Known Use

1939, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ciphertext was in 1939

Dictionary Entries Near ciphertext

Cite this Entry

“Ciphertext.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ciphertext. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on ciphertext

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!