public key

American  

[puhb-lik kee] / ˈpʌb lɪk ˈki /

noun

• public keys
  plural

1. Computers. a message encryption key available to anyone, allowing the resulting encrypted messages to be decrypted only when paired with a private key known only to the message recipient.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• public keys
  plural

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

public key

One common security method involves encrypting data with a massive number known as a public key.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

But there is no standardized public key for deciphering them; codes vary among plants and products, and the absence of an obvious “TF” is no guarantee Taylor Farms wasn’t involved.

From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026

The assumption here is that existing computers are unable to reverse-engineer a private key from a public key.

From Barron's ● Apr. 1, 2026

"This small business loan census will give the public key data on this market to ensure that banks and non-banks are serving small businesses fairly," he said.

From Reuters ● Mar. 30, 2023

For obvious reasons, they call this your "public key."

From Little Brother by Cory Doctorow