English

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Etymology

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From crypto- +‎ -graphy.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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cryptography (usually uncountable, plural cryptographies)

  1. The discipline concerned with communication security (eg, confidentiality of messages, integrity of messages, sender authentication, non-repudiation of messages, and many other related issues), regardless of the used medium such as pencil and paper or computers.
    • 1658, Sir Thomas Browne (first use in English):
      We might abate...the strange cryptography of Gaffarell in his Starrie Booke of Heaven.

Usage notes

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  • Subfields include encoding, decoding, cryptanalysis, codes, ciphers, etc.
  • In many languages, though less so in English, cognates to "cryptology" are also used with the meaning given above, and even preferred.
  • Related to cryptography but distinct, steganography is the art and science of writing hidden messages in such a way that no-one apart from the sender and intended recipient even realizes there is a hidden message.

Derived terms

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Translations

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See also

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