Cryptography: meaning, definitions and examples
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cryptography
[ krษชpหtษษกrษfi ]
data security
The practice and study of techniques for secure communication in the presence of third parties. It involves creating and analyzing protocols that prevent third parties or the public from reading private messages.
Synonyms
codebreaking, cryptology, encryption.
Which Synonym Should You Choose?
| Word | Description / Examples |
|---|---|
| cryptography |
Used to describe the science of creating secure communication methods and protocols to protect information.
|
| encryption |
Specifically refers to the process of converting plain text into a coded form to prevent unauthorized access.
|
| codebreaking |
Refers to the process of deciphering or decoding secret messages without the key, often used in historical or military contexts.
|
| cryptology |
An umbrella term that encompasses both cryptography (creating codes) and cryptanalysis (breaking codes), often used in academic or professional settings.
|
Examples of usage
- Cryptography is essential for secure online banking transactions.
- Government agencies often use cryptography to protect classified information.
- Many messaging apps use end-to-end encryption as a form of cryptography.
historical context
The art of writing or solving codes, often used in ancient times to protect sensitive information or communicate secretly.
Synonyms
code writing, secret writing.
Which Synonym Should You Choose?
| Word | Description / Examples |
|---|---|
| cryptography |
Used in technical or academic discussions about the science of encoding and decoding information to protect it from unauthorized access.
|
| code writing |
Typically used in the context of programming and software development. It refers to writing instructions in a programming language.
|
| secret writing |
Often used in informal or historical contexts to describe methods of writing intended to obscure the message from unintended readers. It can also have a more artistic or literary connotation.
|
Examples of usage
- Ancient civilizations like the Egyptians and Romans used cryptography to send secret messages.
- During wartime, cryptography played a crucial role in sending encrypted messages between military units.
Translations
Translations of the word "cryptography" in other languages:
๐ต๐น criptografia
๐ฎ๐ณ เคเฅเคฐเคฟเคชเฅเคเฅเคเฅเคฐเคพเคซเฅ
๐ฉ๐ช Kryptografie
๐ฎ๐ฉ kriptografi
๐บ๐ฆ ะบัะธะฟัะพะณัะฐััั
๐ต๐ฑ kryptografia
๐ฏ๐ต ๆๅทๅญฆ
๐ซ๐ท cryptographie
๐ช๐ธ criptografรญa
๐น๐ท kriptografi
๐ฐ๐ท ์ํธํ
๐ธ๐ฆ ุงูุชุดููุฑ
๐จ๐ฟ kryptografie
๐ธ๐ฐ kryptografia
๐จ๐ณ ๅฏ็ ๅญฆ
๐ธ๐ฎ kriptografija
๐ฎ๐ธ dulmรกl
๐ฐ๐ฟ ะบัะธะฟัะพะณัะฐัะธั
๐ฌ๐ช แแ แแแขแแแ แแคแแ
๐ฆ๐ฟ kriptografiya
๐ฒ๐ฝ criptografรญa
Etymology
The term 'cryptography' has its roots in the Greek words 'kryptos' and 'graphein', which mean 'hidden' and 'writing', respectively. The practice of cryptography dates back thousands of years, with early examples found in the hieroglyphs of ancient Egypt and the ciphers of Julius Caesar. Throughout history, cryptography has been used in various forms to protect sensitive information, conduct secret communications, and ensure data security.
See also: crypt, cryptanalysis, cryptanalyst, cryptanalytics, cryptic, crypto, cryptogram, cryptology, cryptosystem, decrypt, encrypt.