cryptic

adjective

cryp·tic ˈkrip-tik How to pronounce cryptic (audio)

: secret, occult

: having or seeming to have a hidden or ambiguous meaning : mysterious

cryptic messages

cryptic prophecies

: marked by an often perplexing brevity

cryptic marginal notes

: serving to conceal

cryptic coloration in animals

also : exhibiting cryptic coloration

cryptic animals

: not recognized

a cryptic infection

: employing cipher or code

cryptically

ˈkrip-ti-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce cryptic (audio)

adverb

Did you know?

The Mysterious Origins of Cryptic

The history of cryptic starts with kryptein, a Greek word meaning "to hide." Can you uncover other kryptein relatives in English? Not surprisingly, crypt, meaning "underground chamber," is one. The element krypton would be another correct guess, and so would apocrypha, which can mean "writings of dubious authenticity." Kryptein also gave us several words having to do with secret codes, such as cryptogram ("a communication in cipher or code") and cryptography ("the coding and decoding of secret messages"). And cryptocurrency is currency that exists digitally and that relies on computer encryption (secret code) to prevent counterfeiting and fraud.

Example Sentences

… his hectic characters either communicate in choppy or cryptic exchanges or rattle on in breathless recitations full of contradictions and asides.

Donna Seaman, Booklist, 15 Mar. 1994 Since Hughes's poems contained neither Eliot's footnotes nor Ezra Pound's cryptic orientalism, many critics and editors assumed the poet unintelligent and his work raw or, at best, slight.

Rita Dove, New York Times Book Review, 9 Oct. 1988 The remark seemed cryptic to Philip, but when he heard her say it two or three times to different persons, and found that it aroused hearty agreement, he came to the conclusion that it was only obscure to his own intelligence.

W. Somerset Maugham, Of Human Bondage, 1915 His instructions were cryptic. He said only to wait until we felt certain the answer was clear. puzzled by the cryptic e-mail message left on his computer

Recent Examples on the Web There's also The Bachelorette, which has all of the sudden become the most dramatic show ever thanks to Jesse Palmer's cryptic message at the end of last week's episode.

Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 11 Sep. 2022 Conspiracy theories exploit all three of these tools by publicizing cryptic but real photos, quotes and facts, and then layering wild and dangerous stories on top of them.

Kareem Saleh, Forbes, 4 May 2021 After months of filming on location in Montana (and enjoying visits from his wife and kids), Cole shared a somewhat cryptic message on Instagram.

Katie Bowlby, Country Living, 27 Aug. 2022 The next day, Green posted a cryptic message to Instagram, marking his wife’s birthday.

ELLE, 21 Aug. 2022 The true identity of the man who commissioned the monoliths and the meaning behind its cryptic 10-part message inscribed in eight languages remain unknown.

Amanda Pérez Pintado, USA TODAY, 19 Aug. 2022 Miller delivered a cryptic message aimed at a Ku Klux Klan chapter in North Carolina.

Gary Baum, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Aug. 2022 In the control room, Bernard leaves a cryptic message on a tablet before coming face-to-face with the Host in Black, who monologues before shooting Bernard in the chest.

Andrew Walsh, EW.com, 8 Aug. 2022 Willow previously shared a cryptic message in some tweets shortly after her dad resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Glenn Garner, Peoplemag, 6 Aug. 2022 See More

cryptic

adjective

as in mysterious

being beyond one's powers to know, understand, or explain puzzled by the cryptic e-mail message left on his computer

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

mysterious
enigmatic
obscure
mystic
uncanny
ambiguous
inscrutable
enigmatical
occult
vague
dark
deep
arcane
confusing
unexplainable
murky
impenetrable
mystical
esoteric
unintelligible
metaphysical
incomprehensible
shadowy
fuzzy
puzzling
equivocal
darkling
baffling
mystifying
inexplicable
perplexing
supernatural
bewildering
abstruse
recondite
unfathomable
confounding
unknowable
unaccountable
befuddling
unanswerable
imponderable
unsearchable
numinous
disorienting

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

intelligible
understandable
obvious
clear
plain
unambiguous
apparent
unequivocal
straightforward
evident
transparent
unmistakable
perspicuous
fathomable
manifest
palpable
patent
open-and-shut

as in ambiguous

having an often intentionally veiled or uncertain meaning the oracle offered only cryptic predictions that could be interpreted any number of different ways

Synonyms & Similar Words

ambiguous
enigmatic
obscure
mysterious
dark
mystic
esoteric
vague
enigmatical
unclear
inscrutable
murky
opaque
occult
arcane
nebulous
questionable
equivocal
confusing
uncertain
deep
elliptical
complicated
obscurant
fuliginous
weird
Delphic
eerie
indecipherable
abstruse
elliptic
recondite
puzzling
uncanny
incomprehensible
fuzzy
indirect
noncommittal
disguised
shadowy
concealed
complex
double-edged
shrouded
baffling
obfuscatory
indistinct
cloaked
perplexing
masked
hazy
difficult
inexplicable
mystifying
foggy
faint
bewildering
sphinxlike
misty
shaded
clouded
undefined
inexact
confounding
indefinite
obtuse
impenetrable
inexplicit
indistinguishable
invisible
cloudy
muddy
undetermined
unknowable
dim
beclouded
circuitous
unanswerable
eery
bedimmed
unfathomable
intangible
obscurantic
shadowlike
befogged
roundabout
impalpable
obnubilated
inappreciable

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

obvious
clear
plain
unambiguous
unequivocal
intelligible
understandable
accessible
legible
distinct
comprehensible
certain
evident
bright
explicit
pellucid
knowable
strong
direct
sure
straightforward
nonambiguous
self-explanatory
fathomable
defined
definite
exact
visible
firm
determined
blatant
tangible
self-evident
unmistakable
appreciable
palpable
patent

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of cryptic are ambiguous, dark, enigmatic, equivocal, obscure, and vague. While all these words mean "not clearly understandable," cryptic implies a purposely concealed meaning.

cryptic hints of hidden treasure

While the synonyms ambiguous and cryptic are close in meaning, ambiguous applies to language capable of more than one interpretation.

an ambiguous directive

The words dark and cryptic can be used in similar contexts, but dark implies an imperfect or clouded revelation often with ominous or sinister suggestion.

muttered dark hints of revenge

The words enigmatic and cryptic are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, enigmatic stresses a puzzling, mystifying quality.

enigmatic occult writings

Although the words equivocal and cryptic have much in common, equivocal applies to language left open to differing interpretations with the intention of deceiving or evading.

moral precepts with equivocal phrasing

While in some cases nearly identical to cryptic, obscure implies a hiding or veiling of meaning through some inadequacy of expression or withholding of full knowledge.

obscure poems

The synonyms vague and cryptic are sometimes interchangeable, but vague implies a lack of clear formulation due to inadequate conception or consideration.

a vague sense of obligation

单词	cryptic
释义	cryptic adjective cryp·tic ˈkrip-tik 1 : secret, occult 2 a : having or seeming to have a hidden or ambiguous meaning : mysterious cryptic messages cryptic prophecies b : marked by an often perplexing brevity cryptic marginal notes 3 : serving to conceal cryptic coloration in animals also : exhibiting cryptic coloration cryptic animals 4 : not recognized a cryptic infection 5 : employing cipher or code cryptically ˈkrip-ti-k(ə-)lē adverb Did you know? The Mysterious Origins of Cryptic The history of cryptic starts with kryptein, a Greek word meaning "to hide." Can you uncover other kryptein relatives in English? Not surprisingly, crypt, meaning "underground chamber," is one. The element krypton would be another correct guess, and so would apocrypha, which can mean "writings of dubious authenticity." Kryptein also gave us several words having to do with secret codes, such as cryptogram ("a communication in cipher or code") and cryptography ("the coding and decoding of secret messages"). And cryptocurrency is currency that exists digitally and that relies on computer encryption (secret code) to prevent counterfeiting and fraud. Synonyms arcane deep enigmatic enigmatical impenetrable inscrutable mysterious mystic occult uncanny See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences … his hectic characters either communicate in choppy or cryptic exchanges or rattle on in breathless recitations full of contradictions and asides. Donna Seaman, Booklist, 15 Mar. 1994 Since Hughes's poems contained neither Eliot's footnotes nor Ezra Pound's cryptic orientalism, many critics and editors assumed the poet unintelligent and his work raw or, at best, slight. Rita Dove, New York Times Book Review, 9 Oct. 1988 The remark seemed cryptic to Philip, but when he heard her say it two or three times to different persons, and found that it aroused hearty agreement, he came to the conclusion that it was only obscure to his own intelligence. W. Somerset Maugham, Of Human Bondage, 1915 His instructions were cryptic. He said only to wait until we felt certain the answer was clear. puzzled by the cryptic e-mail message left on his computer Recent Examples on the Web There's also The Bachelorette, which has all of the sudden become the most dramatic show ever thanks to Jesse Palmer's cryptic message at the end of last week's episode. Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 11 Sep. 2022 Conspiracy theories exploit all three of these tools by publicizing cryptic but real photos, quotes and facts, and then layering wild and dangerous stories on top of them. Kareem Saleh, Forbes, 4 May 2021 After months of filming on location in Montana (and enjoying visits from his wife and kids), Cole shared a somewhat cryptic message on Instagram. Katie Bowlby, Country Living, 27 Aug. 2022 The next day, Green posted a cryptic message to Instagram, marking his wife’s birthday. ELLE, 21 Aug. 2022 The true identity of the man who commissioned the monoliths and the meaning behind its cryptic 10-part message inscribed in eight languages remain unknown. Amanda Pérez Pintado, USA TODAY, 19 Aug. 2022 Miller delivered a cryptic message aimed at a Ku Klux Klan chapter in North Carolina. Gary Baum, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Aug. 2022 In the control room, Bernard leaves a cryptic message on a tablet before coming face-to-face with the Host in Black, who monologues before shooting Bernard in the chest. Andrew Walsh, EW.com, 8 Aug. 2022 Willow previously shared a cryptic message in some tweets shortly after her dad resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Glenn Garner, Peoplemag, 6 Aug. 2022 See More Word History Etymology borrowed from Late Latin crypticus "hidden," borrowed from Late Greek kryptikós "obscuring" (Greek kryptikôs "secretly"), from kryptós "hidden, secret" + -ikos -ic entry 1 — more at crypt First Known Use 1620, in the meaning defined at sense 2a Kids Definition cryptic adjective cryp·tic ˈkrip-tik : difficult to understand or make sense of He left a cryptic message. Medical Definition cryptic adjective cryp·tic ˈkrip-tik 1 : serving to conceal cryptic coloration in animals 2 : not recognized a cryptic infection cryptic cases of lead poisoning cryptic adjective 1 as in mysterious being beyond one's powers to know, understand, or explain puzzled by the cryptic e-mail message left on his computer Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance mysterious enigmatic obscure mystic uncanny ambiguous inscrutable enigmatical occult vague dark deep arcane confusing unexplainable murky impenetrable mystical esoteric unintelligible metaphysical incomprehensible shadowy fuzzy puzzling equivocal darkling baffling mystifying inexplicable perplexing supernatural bewildering abstruse recondite unfathomable confounding unknowable unaccountable befuddling unanswerable imponderable unsearchable numinous disorienting Antonyms & Near Antonyms intelligible understandable obvious clear plain unambiguous apparent unequivocal straightforward evident transparent unmistakable perspicuous fathomable manifest palpable patent open-and-shut See More 2 as in ambiguous having an often intentionally veiled or uncertain meaning the oracle offered only cryptic predictions that could be interpreted any number of different ways Synonyms & Similar Words ambiguous enigmatic obscure mysterious dark mystic esoteric vague enigmatical unclear inscrutable murky opaque occult arcane nebulous questionable equivocal confusing uncertain deep elliptical complicated obscurant fuliginous weird Delphic eerie indecipherable abstruse elliptic recondite puzzling uncanny incomprehensible fuzzy indirect noncommittal disguised shadowy concealed complex double-edged shrouded baffling obfuscatory indistinct cloaked perplexing masked hazy difficult inexplicable mystifying foggy faint bewildering sphinxlike misty shaded clouded undefined inexact confounding indefinite obtuse impenetrable inexplicit indistinguishable invisible cloudy muddy undetermined unknowable dim beclouded circuitous unanswerable eery bedimmed unfathomable intangible obscurantic shadowlike befogged roundabout impalpable obnubilated inappreciable Antonyms & Near Antonyms obvious clear plain unambiguous unequivocal intelligible understandable accessible legible distinct comprehensible certain evident bright explicit pellucid knowable strong direct sure straightforward nonambiguous self-explanatory fathomable defined definite exact visible firm determined blatant tangible self-evident unmistakable appreciable palpable patent See More Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of cryptic are ambiguous, dark, enigmatic, equivocal, obscure, and vague. While all these words mean "not clearly understandable," cryptic implies a purposely concealed meaning. cryptic hints of hidden treasure While the synonyms ambiguous and cryptic are close in meaning, ambiguous applies to language capable of more than one interpretation. an ambiguous directive The words dark and cryptic can be used in similar contexts, but dark implies an imperfect or clouded revelation often with ominous or sinister suggestion. muttered dark hints of revenge The words enigmatic and cryptic are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, enigmatic stresses a puzzling, mystifying quality. enigmatic occult writings Although the words equivocal and cryptic have much in common, equivocal applies to language left open to differing interpretations with the intention of deceiving or evading. moral precepts with equivocal phrasing While in some cases nearly identical to cryptic, obscure implies a hiding or veiling of meaning through some inadequacy of expression or withholding of full knowledge. obscure poems The synonyms vague and cryptic are sometimes interchangeable, but vague implies a lack of clear formulation due to inadequate conception or consideration. a vague sense of obligation
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cryptic

adjective

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

adjective

Medical Definition

adjective

adjective

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