HTTPS
3 synonyms and 1 antonym for HTTPS, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A secured version of HTTP, in which traffic between browser and server is encrypted so that others on the network cannot read or alter it, and the site presents a certificate proving it is who it claims to be.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
hypertext transfer protocol secure
HTTP over TLS
secure HTTP
Antonyms
How to use HTTPS
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
served over HTTPS
force HTTPS
HTTPS certificate
HTTPS connection
Seen at the start of web addresses as https://, and represented in browsers by a padlock or similar indicator.
Etymology
An initialism of hypertext transfer protocol secure, formed from HTTP with the addition of S for secure.
Full origin of HTTPS →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between HTTP and HTTPS?
HTTPS is HTTP wrapped in encryption, using TLS. The requests and responses are identical in structure; the difference is that HTTPS traffic is unreadable to anyone intercepting it and the server's identity is checked against a certificate.
Does the padlock mean a website is safe?
It means the connection is encrypted and the certificate matches the address, not that the site is trustworthy. Certificates are widely available, so a scam site can display a padlock too.
Is HTTPS the same as SSL?
Not quite. HTTPS is the web protocol; SSL, and its successor TLS, are the encryption layer HTTPS relies on. People still say "SSL certificate" out of habit, but the protocol in use today is TLS.
