Definition of cipher

The word "cipher" has a fascinating history. It originated from the medieval Latin phrase "caffer," which referred to the Ethiopian people who were known for their expertise in arithmetic and mathematics. Over time, the term "caffer" was adapted into Old French as "cfifre," and later into Middle English as "cipher." In the 14th century, the term gained a new meaning, referring to a symbol or character used to represent unknown letters or values in mathematics and cryptography. In the 16th century, the term "cipher" took on a new connotation, referring to a cryptic message or code that used substitution or transposition to conceal its meaning. Today, the word "cipher" is used to describe not only cryptic messages but also a solution to an equation or a codebreaker's specialty. Despite its evolution, the word "cipher" remains a testament to the ancient Ethiopian mathematicians who sparked a linguistic chain reaction that continues to shape modern cryptography and coding.