# What does "Nonce" Mean?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-nonce-mean/1029543>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 25, 2026, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-nonce-mean/1029543 "2026-04-25T08:41:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2026, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-nonce-mean/1029543/61 "2026-04-29T23:40:41Z")

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> [@outlierrn](#):
>
> Yeah, they rhymed it with once, and I took it to mean ‘not even once.’

Thank you.

It’s late in the day and my brain is full. Now I’m wondering over the difference between a cryptographic nonce and a hapax legomenon.

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**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2026, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-nonce-mean/1029543/62 "2026-05-08T04:12:03Z")

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A nonce is only used once. A hapax legomen is only found once.

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**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2026, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-nonce-mean/1029543/63 "2026-05-08T04:14:56Z")

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Ahhh. Thank you.

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**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2026, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-nonce-mean/1029543/64 "2026-05-08T05:19:05Z")

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I was familiar with the cryptographic term, but also the “silly idiot” meaning you are talking about. I’m American, but I probably encountered the latter in British TV. The child molester/sex offender meaning is new to me.

I wonder if ol’ Baader-Meinhof is gonna visit me this week.

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**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2026, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-nonce-mean/1029543/65 "2026-05-08T12:18:10Z")

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If he does, don’t turn your back on him.

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