Definition of cryptography
1 : secret writing
2 : the enciphering and deciphering of messages in secret code or cipher; also : the computerized encoding and decoding of information
3 : cryptanalysis
cryptography was our Word of the Day on 05/25/2011. Hear the podcast!
Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP
Examples of cryptography in a Sentence
Companies often use cryptography to protect private information.
Recent Examples of cryptography from the Web
Founder and CEO Eugene Kaspersky studied cryptography, programming and mathematics at an academy operated by the KGB, the FSB’s Soviet-era predecessor, then worked for the Ministry of Defense.
At the moment, practical quantum cryptography is limited to transmission distances of single photons down an optical fiber: about 70-100km.
And Micius isn't China's only foray into quantum cryptography.
Tomorrow's encryption, needed today While China is the undisputed leader in quantum cryptography, Canada is also pursuing a quantum satellite, expected to launch in four to five years.
Another section of the code the government can use is 798, which makes it a crime to pass on information to an unauthorized person relating to cryptography or the communication intelligence activities of the U.S., or any foreign government.
Queens University of Charlotte, for instance, offers summer programs for teens in coding, cryptography and game development, at a cost of $850 to $900 a week.
But advances in cryptography, and rapidly swelling interest in privacy in the wake of Snowden, have helped make encryption tech an effortless, everyday commodity for consumers.
This gives quantum computers a heavy advantage in many fields including cryptography.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cryptography'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
For a word having to do with secrets, "cryptography" has a surprisingly transparent etymology. The word traces back to the Greek roots kryptos, meaning "hidden," and graphein, meaning "to write." "Kryptos" - which in turn traces to the Greek verb kryptein, meaning "to hide" - is a root shared by several English words, including "crypt," "cryptic," and "encrypt." "Krypton," the name of a colorless gaseous element used especially in some fluorescent lamps and photography flashes, also comes from "kryptos." The name was chosen because the gas is rare and hard to find.
Origin and Etymology of cryptography
New Latin cryptographia, from crypt- + -graphia -graphy
First Known Use: 1646See Words from the same year
CRYPTOGRAPHY Defined for English Language Learners
Definition of cryptography for English Language Learners
: the process of writing or reading secret messages or codes
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up cryptography? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).