Standard Lemma guide

codeword

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American: /ˈkoʊdˌwɝd/

1

noun

Meaning 1

A string representing an encoded piece of text.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: computing, cryptography, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

Examples

  • Bob cannot get any information out of the codeword since he doesn't know what transmission bases Alice used.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A word or phrase (or by extension a concept) used to make a (concealed) reference to another word or concept.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: dogwhistle

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A type of crossword puzzle where the letters of the alphabet are represented by numbers and the solver must identify them by their position and frequency.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: crosswording

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From code + word.

Across languages

Translations

6 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: codewoord — cryptography: string of encrypted text
  • Finnish: salakirjoitus — cryptography: string of encrypted text
  • Finnish: koodi — cryptography: string of encrypted text
  • Spanish: palabra de/en clave — cryptography: string of encrypted text
  • Dutch: cijfercode — type of crossword
  • Finnish: krypto — type of crossword