DEFINITIONS
The
2019 WORD
OF THE YEAR is...

decipher

[ dih-sahy-fer ]
/ dɪˈsaɪ fər /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR decipher ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object)

to make out the meaning of (poor or partially obliterated writing, etc.): to decipher a hastily scribbled note.
to discover the meaning of (anything obscure or difficult to trace or understand): to decipher hieroglyphics.
to interpret by the use of a key, as something written in cipher: to decipher a secret message.
Obsolete. to depict; portray.

Content related to decipher

OMG, Deciphering Texting Acronyms FTWAcronyms are fun words. And incredibly useful. But, texting and social-media posts are becoming pretty hard to decipher. So, here's a little acronym dictionary to help out.
READ MORE
What Are CAPTCHAs?Wherever we go on the internet, we encounter CAPTCHAs, those twisted words that block or enable entries on websites. But, what does CAPTCHA mean?
READ MORE

Words related to decipher

analyze, elucidate, decode, deduce, unravel, solve, translate, interpret, expound, render, disentangle, read, explain, spell, reveal, break, cipher, unfold, crack, construe

Words nearby decipher

decimate, decimeter, decimetre, decimus, decinormal, decipher, decision, decision procedure, decision support system, decision table, decision theory

Origin of decipher

1520–30; translation of Middle French déchiffrer. See de-, cipher

OTHER WORDS FROM decipher

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for decipher

British Dictionary definitions for decipher

decipher
/ (dɪˈsaɪfə) /

verb (tr)

to determine the meaning of (something obscure or illegible)
to convert from code into plain text; decode

Derived forms of decipher

decipherable, adjectivedecipherability, noundecipherer, noundecipherment, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012