Words for "code":
* Cipher: This is the most common synonym for code, especially when referring to a system of secret writing.
* Encryption: This refers to the process of converting information into an unreadable format, using a code.
* Cryptography: This is the practice and study of techniques for secure communication in the presence of adversaries.
* Secret language: This is a broad term for any form of communication that is intended to be understood only by a select group of people.
* Cypher: (alternate spelling of cipher)
* Algorithm: (a specific set of instructions or rules used in encryption)
* Key: (a secret piece of information used in encryption)
Ways to transform text to conceal meaning:
* Substitution: Replacing letters or words with other symbols or characters.
* Transposition: Rearranging the order of letters or words.
* Homophonic substitution: Replacing letters with different letters or symbols, but where the replacement is based on the sound of the letter.
* Polyalphabetic substitution: Using multiple substitution alphabets to encrypt a message.
* Steganography: Hiding a message within another, seemingly innocent message (e.g., embedding a secret message within an image).
* Hashing: Transforming text into a fixed-length string, making it difficult to reverse.
Examples of transformations:
* Caesar cipher: Shifting each letter in the alphabet by a fixed number of positions.
* Vigenère cipher: Using a keyword to determine which substitution alphabet to use for each letter.
* Enigma machine: A complex electromechanical machine used by the Germans in World War II to encrypt messages.
The best word to use will depend on the specific context. For example, "cipher" is a good general term, while "encryption" is more specific to the process of transforming data into a secure form.