deciphered

Everyday

1. Worked out the meaning of a secret code and turned it into plain words. tree →
2. Managed to read writing that is very hard to read, like messy handwriting or an old script. tree →
3. Understood something puzzling. tree →

In the lessons

In history, people deciphered Egyptian hieroglyphs with help from the Rosetta Stone, and code-breakers deciphered secret wartime messages. In maths and puzzles, deciphering a code means finding the rule, such as each letter moved three places. In stories it shows a mystery being solved. Phrases: «deciphered the code», «could hardly be deciphered».

Examples

• The detectives deciphered the secret message. tree →
• Champollion deciphered Egyptian hieroglyphs in 1822. tree →
• I finally deciphered my brother's messy handwriting. tree →
• We deciphered the code by shifting each letter back by one. tree →
• The old map had faded and could barely be deciphered. tree →
• She deciphered the meaning of his strange look. tree →
• Code-breakers deciphered enemy messages during the war. tree →

Note

Regular verb: decipher, deciphered. Opposite: encipher or encode. Very close to «decode»; «decipher» is also used for hard handwriting. Spelled with «ph», which sounds like «f».

In Jewish tradition

In history, people deciphered Egyptian hieroglyphs with help from the Rosetta Stone, and code-breakers deciphered secret wartime messages. In maths and puzzles, deciphering a code means finding the rule, such as each letter moved three places. In stories it shows a mystery being solved. Phrases: «deciphered the code», «could hardly be deciphered».

Note

Regular verb: decipher, deciphered. Opposite: encipher or encode. Very close to «decode»; «decipher» is also used for hard handwriting. Spelled with «ph», which sounds like «f».