n.
Pronunciation: ' s ī -f ə r
Function: noun
Usage: often attrib
Etymology: Middle English, from Medieval Latin cifra, from Arabic ș ifr empty, cipher, zero
Date: 14th century
1 a : ZERO 1A b : one that has no weight, worth, or influence : NONENTITY
2 a : a method of transforming a text in order to conceal its meaning ― compare CODE 3b b : a message in code
3 : ARABIC NUMERAL
4 : a combination of symbolic letters especially : the interwoven initials of a name