cyfra

Cyfra is the Polish term for a digit or numeral. In mathematics and everyday use, a cyfra is one of the symbols used to write numbers in positional numeral systems, most commonly the ten decimal digits 0 through 9. A sequence of digits encodes numbers; together with place value, digits allow representation in any base. The plural cyfry refers to multiple digits, for example cyfry 2, 0 and 7 appear in the number 207.

In computing and data handling, a cyfra is any single numeric character within a string or file. The concept extends to numeral systems beyond decimal; for example, a binary digit (cyfra binarna) is 0 or 1, while hexadecimal digits include 0–9 and A–F.

Etymology: the word cyfra comes from Latin cifra, via other European languages such as Italian cifra or French chiffre, with the ultimate origin in the Arabic sifr meaning "zero" or "empty." In Polish, the term has long been used to denote a numeral symbol rather than a symbol of secrecy.

Usage and scope: cyfra is used in mathematics, education, and everyday language to refer to the symbols that compose numbers. The term emphasizes the symbolic, not the value, and is distinguished from words like liczba (number) or wartość (value). In Polish, cyfry are essential in counting, data representation, and numerical notation.

See also: digits, numeral, decimal, numeral systems, binary digit, hexadecimal digit.