ciphertext
noun
ci·pher·text ˈsī-fər-ˌtekst 
: the enciphered form of a text or of its elements
compare plaintext
Examples of ciphertext in a Sentence
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On the other hand, systems that dynamically alter keys, settings, or cryptographic structures, known as polymorphic encryption, introduce unpredictability that limits the long-term usefulness of intercepted ciphertext and interferes with adversary pattern recognition. —
Chuck Brooks, Forbes.com, 21 Feb. 2026 The researchers estimate that the attack would require about 125 days to decrypt the ciphertext. —ArsTechnica, 17 Feb. 2026 Careful scrutiny of the ciphertext can sometimes provide clues, but if all else fails, try all possible lengths. —Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 22 Oct. 2025 Another computational bottleneck entails an operation called bootstrapping, which is needed to periodically remove noise from ciphertexts, Agrawal says. —IEEE Spectrum, 23 Sep. 2025 Only individuals possessing the right decryption key can restore the ciphertext to its original form. —Ofer Lidsky, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024 These algorithms take a block of plaintext and the encryption key as input and run them through a subprocess that repeats for a set number of rounds before outputting a finished ciphertext. —Ars Technica, 30 Oct. 2024
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Chuck Brooks, Forbes.com, 21 Feb. 2026 The researchers estimate that the attack would require about 125 days to decrypt the ciphertext. —ArsTechnica, 17 Feb. 2026 Careful scrutiny of the ciphertext can sometimes provide clues, but if all else fails, try all possible lengths. —Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 22 Oct. 2025 Another computational bottleneck entails an operation called bootstrapping, which is needed to periodically remove noise from ciphertexts, Agrawal says. —IEEE Spectrum, 23 Sep. 2025 Only individuals possessing the right decryption key can restore the ciphertext to its original form. —Ofer Lidsky, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024 These algorithms take a block of plaintext and the encryption key as input and run them through a subprocess that repeats for a set number of rounds before outputting a finished ciphertext. —Ars Technica, 30 Oct. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Ciphertext.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/dictionary/ciphertext. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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