Cipher Meaning
/ˈsaɪfə/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounA numeric character.
nounAny text character.
Sentence Examples
Tom was writing cryptic notes in a cipher.
The information may be given in cipher.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The spy decoded the secret message using a complex numeric ____.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The secret message was written in a complex ____ that was hard city.
Word Origin & History
14th century. From Middle English cifre, from Old French cyfre, cyffre (French chiffre), ultimately from Arabic صِفْر (ṣifr, “zero, empty”), from صَفَرَ (ṣafara, “to be empty”). Doublet of chiffre and zero. Sense 8 (a fault in an organ valve) may be a different word.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"In ſucceeding times this vnderſtanding wiſedome began to be written in Ciphers, and Characters, and letters bearing the forme of beaſtes, birds, and other creatures; […]"
— 1614, Walter Ralegh [i.e., Walter Raleigh], “Of diuers memorable things betweene the fall of Adam, and the floud of Noah”, in The Historie of the World […], London: […] William Stansby for Walter Burre, […], →OCLC, 1st book, §. VI (Of the Patriarchs deliuering their knowledge by Tradition: and that Enoch writ before the floud), pages 78–79:
"Just then, an attendant to whom the Queen had whispered returned; and taking a small case from her hand, Anne produced a bracelet somewhat similar to the very one with which Francesca had parted, excepting that it had her cipher, surrounded by a wreath of fleurs-de-lis. "Louis, will you offer this to Mademoiselle Carrara?""
— 1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XXIV, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume I, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 290:
"He was very early engaged in great ſecrets: For his fatherr, apprehending of what fatal conſequence it would have been to the King’s affairs if his correſpondence had been diſcovered by unfaithful Secretaries, engaged him when very young to write all his letters to England in cypher; ſo that he was generally half the day writing in cypher, or decyphering, and was ſo diſcrect, as well as faithful, that nothing was ever diſcovered by him."
— a. 1716 (date written), [Gilbert] Burnet, “Book II. Of the First Twelve Years of the Reign of King Charles II. from the Year 1660 to the Year 1673.”, in [Gilbert Burnet Jr.], editor, Bishop Burnet’s History of His Own Time. […], volume I, London: […] Thomas Ward […], published 1724, →OCLC, page 257:
"They say no girls in the cipher, so I rock solo"
— 2011, “The World Is Listening”, in The Journey Aflame, performed by Akua Naru:
"As the night seemed darker, cops is on a hunt / They interrupt your cipher, and crush your blunt"
— 1993, “Midnight”, in Midnight Marauders, performed by A Tribe Called Quest:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The spy decoded the secret message using a complex numeric ____.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The secret message was written in a complex ____ that was hard city.