Definition:Cipher (Algorism)
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Definition
The word cipher is an archaic word meaning to calculate using the technique of algorism, that is, using digits as opposed to using an abacus.
Linguistic Note
The word cipher can also be found in its less common spelling: cypher.
The word ultimately derives from the Arabic صِفْر (ṣifr), meaning zero or empty.
Sources
- 1998: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): cipher (cypher): 2.
- 2008: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (4th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): cipher (cypher): 2.