cypher

American  

[sahy-fer] / ˈsaɪ fər /

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.

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cypher British  

/ ˈsaɪfə /

noun

1. a variant spelling of cipher

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Etymology

Origin of cypher

First recorded in 1995–2000

Explanation

A cypher is a message written in a secret code. Spies during World War II sometimes communicated using cyphers. If you use a cypher to send your friend a message, it may take her a while to figure out what you're trying to tell her. Some cyphers substitute numbers or symbols for letters, and you need a key to decipher — or interpret — them. Another kind of cypher is an unimportant person who's blank or devoid of personality — you might call a lifeless character in a book a cypher. The word has an Arabic root, sifr, "zero, empty, or nothing."

Example Sentences

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 • May 7, 2024

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 • May 2, 2024

But repeat viewings of “The Zone of Interest,” which was awarded the Grand Prix at Cannes, reveal the precision Friedel brings to the role of a prideful cypher defined by his social standing.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 29, 2023

Three interlocking Cs feature on the coins, representing the third King Charles, and taking its inspiration from the cypher of Charles II.

From BBC • Oct. 12, 2023

She knew her mathematics to the Rule of Three, but whether she could cypher into fractions, I had no idea.

From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck