adj
Meaning 1
Having hidden (unapparent) meaning.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
cryptic
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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/ˈkɹɪptɪk/
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Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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rhymes with -ɪptɪk
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CMU ARPABET: K R IH1 P T IH0 K Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
adj
Meaning 2
Mystified or of an obscure nature; not easy to perceive.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Meaning 3
Involving use of a code or cipher.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Meaning 4
Of a crossword puzzle, or a clue in such a puzzle, using, in addition to definitions, wordplay such as anagrams, homophones and hidden words to indicate solutions.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Qualifier: crosswording
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Meaning 5
Well camouflaged; having good camouflage.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: biology, natural-sciences, zoology
Examples
- Lonomia caterpillars are extremely cryptic.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Meaning 6
Serving as camouflage.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: biology, natural-sciences, zoology
Examples
- cryptic colouring
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Meaning 7
Apparently identical, but actually genetically distinct.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Topics: biology, natural-sciences
Examples
- cryptic species
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Meaning 8
Living in a cavity or small cave.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: biology, natural-sciences, zoology
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: cryptozoic
Antonyms: none provided
name
Meaning 9
An epoch from 4567 to 4150 million years ago, a subdivision of the Prenectarian.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: geography, geology, natural-sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 10
A cryptic crossword puzzle.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: informal
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adjective satellite
Meaning 11
having a puzzling terseness
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- a cryptic note
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adjective satellite
Meaning 12
having a secret or hidden meaning- John Gunther
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- cabalistic symbols engraved in stone
- cryptic writings
- thoroughly sibylline in most of his pronouncements
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: cabalistic, kabbalistic, qabalistic, cryptical, sibylline
Antonyms: none provided
adjective satellite
Meaning 13
of an obscure nature- Rachel Carson
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- the new insurance policy is written without cryptic or mysterious terms
- a deep dark secret
- the inscrutable workings of Providence
- in its mysterious past it encompasses all the dim origins of life
- rituals totally mystifying to visitors from other lands
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: cryptical, deep, inscrutable, mysterious, mystifying
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From Late Latin crypticus, from Ancient Greek κρυπτικός (kruptikós), from κρυπτός (kruptós, “hidden”), from κρύπτω (krúptō, “to hide”). Doublet of kryptic.
Across languages
Translations
33 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Bulgarian: таен (taen) — having hidden meaning
- Catalan: críptic — having hidden meaning
- Dutch: cryptisch — having hidden meaning
- Esperanto: kripta — having hidden meaning
- French: cryptique — having hidden meaning
- German: kryptisch — having hidden meaning
- Greek: κρυπτικός (kryptikós) — having hidden meaning
- Italian: criptico — having hidden meaning
- Korean: 숨은 뜻을 가진 (sumeun tteuseul gajin) — having hidden meaning
- Māori: tākirikiri — having hidden meaning
- Portuguese: críptico — having hidden meaning
- Spanish: críptico — having hidden meaning
- Arabic: مُبْهَم (mubham) — mystified or of an obscure nature
- Bulgarian: загадъчен (zagadǎčen) — mystified or of an obscure nature
- Catalan: críptic — mystified or of an obscure nature
- Dutch: cryptisch — mystified or of an obscure nature
- French: mystérieux — mystified or of an obscure nature
- French: énigmatique — mystified or of an obscure nature
- German: kryptisch — mystified or of an obscure nature
- Greek: κρυπτικός (kryptikós) — mystified or of an obscure nature
- Korean: 아리송한 (arisonghan) — mystified or of an obscure nature
- Māori: tākirikiri — mystified or of an obscure nature
- Polish: niejasny — mystified or of an obscure nature
- Portuguese: críptico — mystified or of an obscure nature
- Russian: загадочный (zagadočnyj) — mystified or of an obscure nature
- Spanish: críptico — mystified or of an obscure nature
- Turkish: gizemli — mystified or of an obscure nature
- Bulgarian: шифрован (šifrovan) — involving use of code or cipher
- German: kryptisch — involving use of code or cipher
- Hebrew: מוצפן — involving use of code or cipher
- Portuguese: críptico — involving use of code or cipher
- Spanish: críptico — involving use of code or cipher
- Turkish: şifreli — involving use of code or cipher
Real reading context