cryptography
noun
cryp·tog·ra·phy
krip-ˈtä-grə-fē 
1
: secret writing
2
: the enciphering and deciphering of messages in secret code or cipher
also
: the computerized encoding and decoding of information
3
Did you know?
For a word having to do with secrets, cryptography has a surprisingly transparent origin. The word comes from Greek kryptós, meaning "hidden" or "secret," and graphein, meaning "to write." Besides the familiar related words of the same origin, such as cryptic, there is krypton, the name of a colorless gaseous element used especially in some fluorescent lamps and photography flashes. The name was chosen because the gas is rare and hard to find.
Examples of cryptography in a Sentence
Companies often use cryptography to protect private information.
Recent Examples on the Web
For instance, on quantum computers, Shor’s algorithm can crack modern cryptography, and Grover’s algorithm can search databases at staggering speeds.
—
IEEE Spectrum, 6 Feb. 2025
There are also other tools that involve cryptography and something called zero-knowledge proofs that are beyond the scope of this article.
—Zain Jaffer, Rolling Stone, 24 Jan. 2025
The Bitcoin Breakthrough Satoshi’s invention was not just a breakthrough in cryptography and game theory but also in how markets are bootstrapped and operated.
—Christian Catalini, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
Cryptocurrency is a digital or virtual currency that uses cryptography for security.
—Roxanne Doss, Kansas City Star, 29 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for cryptography 
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IEEE Spectrum, 6 Feb. 2025
There are also other tools that involve cryptography and something called zero-knowledge proofs that are beyond the scope of this article.
—Zain Jaffer, Rolling Stone, 24 Jan. 2025
The Bitcoin Breakthrough Satoshi’s invention was not just a breakthrough in cryptography and game theory but also in how markets are bootstrapped and operated.
—Christian Catalini, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
Cryptocurrency is a digital or virtual currency that uses cryptography for security.
—Roxanne Doss, Kansas City Star, 29 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for cryptography
Dictionary Entries Near cryptography
Cite this Entry
“Cryptography.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cryptography. Accessed 19 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cryptography
noun
cryp·tog·ra·phy
krip-ˈtäg-rə-fē
: the coding and decoding of secret messages or digital information
cryptographer
noun
-fər
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