Glossary
MiMC
A ZK-friendly hash function based on iterated low-degree exponentiation over a finite field — predecessor of Poseidon, still used in some legacy SNARK circuits.
MiMC ("Minimal Multiplicative Complexity"), published in 2016, was
one of the first hash functions designed specifically for
zero-knowledge proof systems. It works by iterating
x → (x + k)^3 (or a higher odd power) over a finite field —
operations that translate to a small number of multiplications in
SNARK circuits.
MiMC was the default ZK hash in early Zcash Sapling and several Ethereum ZK projects. Poseidon has largely replaced it in modern systems, but MiMC is still present in some legacy circuits and remains a reference design for "arithmetization-friendly" hashes.