What is enciphered?

Answer 1

From the Free Online Dictionary:

en·ci·pher (n-sfr) tr.v. en·ci·phered, en·ci·pher·ing, en·ci·phersTo put (a message, for example) into cipher. ---- en·cipher·er n.

en·cipher·ment n.

ci·pher also cy·pher (sfr) n.1. The mathematical symbol (0) denoting absence of quantity; zero.

2. An Arabic numeral or figure; a number.

3. One having no influence or value; a nonentity.

4.a. A cryptographic system in which units of plain text of regular length, usually letters, are arbitrarily transposed or substituted according to a predetermined code.

b. The key to such a system.

c. A message written or transmitted in such a system.

5. A design combining or interweaving letters or initials; a monogram.

v. ci·phered, ci·pher·ing, ci·phers

v.intr.To solve problems in arithmetic; calculate. See Synonyms at calculate.

v.tr.1. To put in secret writing; encode.

2. To solve by means of arithmetic. ---- [Middle English cifre, from Old French, from Medieval Latin cifra, from Arabic ifr, from afira, to be empty (translation of Sanskrit nyam, cipher, dot); see pr1 in Semitic roots.]