Standard Lemma guide

cryptophyte

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

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

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  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈkɹɪptə(ʊ)fʌɪt/
  • US: /ˈkɹɪptəˌfaɪt/

1

noun

Meaning 1

Any plant whose buds overwinter either below ground, or under water

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: biology, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A cryptomonad

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: biology, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

common in fresh and salt water appearing along the shore as algal blooms

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: cryptomonad

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: alga, algae

History

Etymology

From crypto- (“hidden”) + -phyte (“plant”).

Across languages

Translations

2 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: cryptofyt — plant with buds overwintering below the surface
  • Portuguese: criptófita — plant with buds overwintering below the surface