cypher

[ sahy-fer ]

noun

1. Chiefly British. a variant of cipher.
2. Also cipher.
   1. a performance by a group of rappers, hip-hop artists, or break dancers who take turns improvising individual verses, dances, etc:

      The show ended with a freestyle cypher featuring the rappers from the headliner and the two opening acts.

   2. an individual verse, dance, etc., that is part of such a performance:

      She rose to stardom when her cypher that dissed two other male artists went viral.

cypher

/ ˈsaɪfə /

noun

1. a variant spelling of cipher

Word History and Origins

Origin of cypher¹

First recorded in 1995–2000

Example Sentences

Mr Khan was exonerated in an illegal marriage case and the cypher case, in which he was accused of divulging state secrets.

From BBC

He was a cypher coder on HMS Belfast and was granted leave.

From BBC

At the BET Hip-Hop Awards cypher, a gathering of rap artists exchanging lyrics competitively, Lamar refuted Drake's previous assertions of friendships.

From Salon

Because as well as illustrating this historic document, he is the designer of the King's cypher, the logo that you will begin to see on new banknotes, public buildings, uniforms and eventually on new postboxes.

From BBC

As a teen, she breakdanced and pop-locked in cyphers under the moniker “Lady Get Down” for the West Coast Pop Lockers.

From Los Angeles Times