Page "Public-key cryptography" Paragraph 3

Public-key cryptography refers to a cryptographic system requiring two separate keys, one of which is secret and one of which is public.

Although different, the two parts of the key pair are mathematically linked.

One key locks or encrypts the plaintext, and the other unlocks or decrypts the ciphertext.

Neither key can perform both functions.

One of these keys is published or public, while the other is kept private.