Encrypt
/ɪnˈkrɪpt/noun
To convert information into a coded form so that only authorized parties can read it.
Did you know?The root behind *encrypt* is the same Greek *krypt-* that gave us *crypt*, *cryptic*, and *apocryphal*—a lineage obsessed with what is hidden, concealed, or kept from public sight.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
kryptós
“hidden, concealed”
Late Greek
Greek
enkryptō
“to hide in, conceal within”
Late Latin
Latin
encryptare
“to conceal, hide away”
Middle French
French
encrypter
“to encipher; to write in secret code”
16th–17th Century
English
encrypt
“to encode or convert into secret writing”
Modern English
English
encrypt
“to convert information into a coded form”
Explore more surprising origins