décryptage

Décryptage is a French term used in both technical and figurative contexts. In its most technical sense, it denotes the act of decrypting ciphertext to recover the original plaintext, or more broadly the process of deciphering encoded information. In everyday use, it can refer to solving or interpreting coded messages, signs, or data.

In cryptography, décryptage is the reversal of encryption. It requires a key or algorithm to transform ciphertext into plaintext. It is a fundamental operation that accompanies encryption. In French, the verb is décrypter and the noun décryptage.

In media, journalism and cultural analysis, décryptage is used metaphorically to describe analysis that reveals hidden meanings, agendas or social implications behind a text, speech, image or event. A décryptage aims to expose implicit messages, rhetorical strategies or power dynamics.

Etymology and usage: from dé- (reversal) + crypter (to encrypt). The term is rooted in French cryptography but has broader cultural usage, including commentary on politics, advertising, and pop culture. Related terms include cryptanalysis and decipherment.