encryption

American  

[en-krip-shuhn] / ɛnˈkrɪp ʃən /

noun

1. the act or practice of converting messages into cipher or code.

   During World War II, the encryption process involved code tables and a machine.

2. Computers. the act or practice of changing digital data into a form that cannot be read without converting it back using a unique key.

   Though its data encryption is strong, the app has other security flaws exploited by hackers.

---

encryption Cultural  

1. The process of encoding a message so that it can be read only by the sender and the intended recipient. Encryption systems often use two keys, a public key, available to anyone, and a private key that allows only the recipient to decode the message. (See also cryptography.)

---

Etymology

Origin of encryption

First recorded in 1940–45; 1960–65 encryption for def. 2; encrypt ( def. ) + -ion ( def. )

Explanation

Encryption is the process of translating something into a code, so that data is protected, hidden, or concealed. Encryption makes it difficult for hackers to steal people's credit card numbers. If there's information worth stealing, encryption is used to protect it — especially when it comes to computer or electronic data that holds financial, private, or dangerous material. Governments use encryption to hide classified information, and banks use it to protect their customers' money and other data. Crypt- has been used to mean "secret or hidden" since the 1700s, and it comes from a Greek root, kryptos, "hidden or concealed."

Example Sentences

Leaps in AI model capabilities have come with concerns about hackers using such tools for figuring out passwords or cracking encryption meant to keep data safe.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

It also opens new doors in nanophotonics, a field focused on controlling light at very small scales for uses in electronics, encryption, and biology.

From Science Daily • Mar. 31, 2026

Breaking the encryption behind major cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and ether may be easier than previously thought, according to a blog post and new research paper from Google released Tuesday.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

Breaking the encryption behind major cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and ether may be easier than previously thought, according to a new research paper from Google released Tuesday.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

Covering more than fifty encryption systems, the book testifies to the doggedness and ingenuity of Elizebeth and her team.

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield