anticryptography

noun

The encoding of messages in such a way that they are as easy as possible to decipher.

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Meanings

nounanticryptography (uncountable)
  1. rareuncountableThe encoding of messages in such a way that they are as easy as possible to decipher.

    We are considering not cryptography, but anticryptography, the design by a very intelligent civilization of a message so simple that even civilizations as primitive as ours can understand it.

    1973, Carl Sagan, The cosmic connection: an extraterrestrial perspective
    1 more example

    It is common in the art of anticryptography to include a cross-check device with the coded message so that the recipient may reassure himself that he has properly deciphered and understood the message.

    2005, Paul A LaViolette, Earth Under Fire: Humanity's Survival of the Ice Age

Origin

From anti- + cryptography.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with anticryptography

photographybiographygeographybibliographypornographyfilmographydiscographyautobiographychromatographycryptographytopographyradiographytomographyoceanographytypographychoreographymammographycinematographyvideographycartographydemographyangiographylithographycrystallography
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Cite this entry
APA

anticryptography. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/anticryptography

MLA

“anticryptography.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/anticryptography. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “anticryptography,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/anticryptography.

Source: anticryptography on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.