polyalphabetic cipher

[/ˌpɒliælˈfæbɛtɪk ˈsaɪfər/]
nounpl: polyalphabetic ciphers
cifra polialfabética
1. A cryptographic method that uses multiple substitution alphabets to encrypt plaintext, where the alphabet used changes based on the position of the character or a repeating key
The Vigenère cipher is a famous example of a polyalphabetic cipher that was considered unbreakable for centuries.
A cifra de Vigenère é um exemplo famoso de cifra polialfabética que foi considerada inquebrável por séculos.
2. An encryption system more secure than monoalphabetic ciphers because it obscures frequency patterns of letters in the original message
Military communications during World War II relied heavily on polyalphabetic cipher machines like the Enigma.
As comunicações militares durante a Segunda Guerra Mundial dependiam muito de máquinas de cifra polialfabética como a Enigma.
This term is primarily used in academic, military, and cybersecurity contexts in both Brazil and the United States. The Enigma machine and polyalphabetic ciphers are historically significant in World War II narratives taught in schools across both countries. In Brazil, the term is used consistently in computer science and information security programs at universities.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
polyalphabetical ciphermulti-alphabet ciphermultiple-alphabet substitution cipher
Antonyms / Antônimos
monoalphabetic ciphersimple substitution cipher

Regional Variations

General Brazilian Portuguese
cifra polialfabética
Standard term used in academic and technical contexts
Portugal
cifra polialfabética
Same as Brazilian Portuguese; technical term consistent across Portuguese-speaking regions
Technical/Academic
sistema de criptografia polialfabético
More formal expansion used in scholarly papers

Related Words

Vigenère cipherEnigma machinesubstitution cipherencryptioncryptographyplaintextciphertextkey

Related Idioms & Phrases

break a polyalphabetic cipher
crack the code
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