plaintext

[ pleyn-tekst ]

/ ˈpleɪnˌtɛkst /

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See synonyms for: plaintext / plaintexts on Thesaurus.com

noun

the intelligible original message of a cryptogram, as opposed to the coded or enciphered version.

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Also called clear text.

Compare cryptography.

Origin of plaintext

First recorded in 1915–20; plain¹ + text

How to use plaintext in a sentence

Yet, much like the fate that fell the first season, ratings just plain weren't good.
‘The Comeback’ Finale: Give Lisa Kudrow All of the Awards|Kevin Fallon|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Thanks to the Atlanta case, they can now see another in plain sight.
A Gift to the Jihadis: The Unseen Airport Security Threat|Clive Irving|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Because holy hell was that bland, unfunny, uncomfortable, and just plain confusing.
The Biggest Bombs of 2014: ‘Sex Tape,’ Mariah Carey’s Vocals, ‘How I Met Your Mother’ and More|Kevin Fallon|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Catalogue, published by Flammarion (2014), includes photographs from the Magnum Photos archives and text by Éric Hazan.
A History of Paris in 150 Photographs|Sarah Moroz|December 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The text amply surveys the various cultural exponents of tattooing accompanied by excellent images.
The Best Coffee Table Books of 2014|Robert Birnbaum|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But what a magnificent plain is this we are entering upon: it is of immense extent.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 60, No. 372, October 1846|Various
As the weeks wore on, the pretence of practical teaching was quietly dropped, and we crammed our science out of the text-book.
The Salvaging Of Civilisation|H. G. (Herbert George) Wells
A far-off volley rumbled over the plain, and a few birds stirred uneasily among the trees.
The Red Year|Louis Tracy
There are many more good dwellings on this plain than in the rural portion of Lower Italy.
Glances at Europe|Horace Greeley
The word of the law shall be fulfilled without a lie, and wisdom shall be made plain in the mouth of the faithful.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various

British Dictionary definitions for plaintext

plain text

noun

telecomm a message set in a directly readable form rather than in coded groups

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