cypher
- noun
- /ˈsaɪfər/
- Archaic
- A cypher is essential in arithmetic calculations.
Examples
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In mathematics, a cypher does not change other numbers when added.
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In mathematics, the number cypher serves an important role as the additive identity.
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In many mathematical operations, adding a cypher leaves the original number unchanged.
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The Roman numeral system did not have a symbol for cypher or zero.
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When entering the code, make sure not to skip the leading cypher.
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When you add any number to a cypher, the value of that number remains unchanged.
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In calculating, the cypher is essential for representing the absence of a quantity.
Synonyms
Surface Forms
Etymology
Cypher as the number zero comes straight from the Arabic sifr, which means 'empty' or 'zero'. That's why a cypher is the symbol for 'nothing' and does not change a number when you add it.