private key

American  

[prahy-vit kee] / ˈpraɪ vɪt ˈki /

noun

• private keys
  plural

1. Computers. a decryption key known only to its owner, allowing the decryption of messages that have been encrypted using a public key with which it is paired.

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• private keys
  plural

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

private key

Later this year, Meta plans to roll out Muse Confidential VM, an upgraded security model that encrypts all user conversations and data behind a private key inaccessible even to Meta itself.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 26, 2026

A private key is a very large, random, secret number that allows you to manage and access your funds.

From Barron's ● Apr. 1, 2026

Twitter encryption also doesn’t provide what’s called “forward secrecy,” which would prevent an attacker who gets hold of a user’s private key from using it to read earlier and subsequent messages.

From Seattle Times ● May 11, 2023

While the details of exactly how this occurred are still under investigation, but private key information was inadvertently transmitted to an application monitoring service.

From The Verge ● Aug. 4, 2022

They felt very important using their private key to get into the school.

From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---