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codebook

codebook

6.1
A set of codes used to encode, decode, or compress data
  • noun
  • /ˈkoʊdˌbʊk/
  • Specialized
translation icon : tabla de códigos
  • Using the codebook, antennas, some specialized software, and about $30,000 worth of computing equipment, a hacker can crack a call in real-time, allowing him or her to listen in on live conversations.

Examples

  • In machine learning, a codebook is essential for efficiently compressing large amounts of data.

  • The engineer referred to the codebook to translate the encrypted data into a readable format.

  • Dr. Mittenhand had a codebook for the computer.

  • To ensure accurate communication, both teams used the same codebook for encoding their messages.

Surface Forms

codebook singular
codebooks plural

Morphology

codebook = code + book (transparent) = code + book

Compound formation is straightforward; the technical sense is a specialized application but still literally a listing/table of codewords.

Etymology

Codebook is made from code and book, with code coming from codex meaning 'book'. So a codebook is like a 'book' or list of codewords used to match and change data, which is why engineers and researchers use it to convert, compress, or read coded information.