cypher in WordNet English dictionary

1. a mathematical element that when added to another number yields the same number
   zero  0  nought  cipher  cypher 
   
2. a quantity of no importance
   "it looked like nothing I had ever seen before"; "reduced to nil all the work we had done"; "we racked up a pathetic goose egg"; "it was all for naught"; "I didn't hear zilch about it"
   nothing  nil  nix  nada  null  aught  cipher  cypher  goose egg  naught  zero  zilch  zip  zippo 
   
3. a secret method of writing
   cipher  cypher  cryptograph  secret code 
   
4. a message written in a secret code
   cipher  cypher 
   
5. a person of no influence
   cipher  cypher  nobody  nonentity 
   

1. make a mathematical calculation or computation
   calculate  cipher  cypher  compute  work out  reckon  figure 
   
2. convert ordinary language into code
   "We should encode the message for security reasons"
   code  encipher  cipher  cypher  encrypt  inscribe  write in code