verb
decipher
dih-SEYE-fuh
verb
1
To work out the meaning of a code, unclear handwriting, or a confusing situation.
"Codebreakers worked for months to decipher the enemy's messages."
"I could barely decipher the doctor's handwriting on the prescription."
How to Use Decipher
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo figure out something that is hard to read or understand.
Common pairings
decipher a code
decipher handwriting
decipher the meaning
Word Forms
deciphered past tense, deciphers plural, deciphers singular
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Codebreakers worked for months to _____ the enemy's messages.
Etymology
From "de-" + "cipher," modeled on French déchiffrer — literally "to undo a cipher."