cypher Meaning, Definition & Usage

1. noun a mathematical element that when added to another number yields the same number
   0; zero; nought; cipher.
   
2. noun a quantity of no importance
   aught; zip; nil; nada; zero; nix; cipher; zilch; goose egg; zippo; nothing; naught; null.
   
   • it looked like nothing I had ever seen before
   • reduced to nil all the work we had done
   • we racked up a pathetic goose egg
   • it was all for naught
   • I didn't hear zilch about it
3. noun a person of no influence
   nobody; cipher; nonentity.
   
4. noun a secret method of writing
   secret code; cryptograph; cipher.
   
5. noun a message written in a secret code
   cipher.
   
6. verb convert ordinary language into code
   encipher; code; encrypt; write in code; inscribe; cipher.
   
   • We should encode the message for security reasons
7. verb make a mathematical calculation or computation
   compute; calculate; work out; reckon; cipher; figure.
   

WordNet