crypt

¹ American  

[kript] / krɪpt /

noun

1. a subterranean chamber or vault, especially one beneath the main floor of a church, used as a burial place, a location for secret meetings, etc.

2. Anatomy. a slender pit or recess; a small glandular cavity.

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crypt- ² American  

1. variant of crypto- before a vowel.

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crypt British  

/ krɪpt /

noun

1. a cellar, vault, or underground chamber, esp beneath a church, where it is often used as a chapel, burial place, etc

2. anatomy any pitlike recess or depression

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Usage

What does crypt- mean? Crypto- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “hidden, secret.” It is used in many scientific, medical, and other technical terms. Crypto- comes from the Greek kryptós, meaning “hidden.” The word crypt also derives from this root. Dig up the connection at our entry for the word. In anatomy, crypto- specifically refers to a crypt in its specialized sense of a “slender pit or recess” or a “small glandular cavity.”Crypt- is a variant of crypto-, which loses its -o- when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use crypto- article.

Other Word Forms

• cryptal adjective
• undercrypt noun

Etymology

Origin of crypt

1375–1425 for sense “grotto”; 1555–65 for current senses; late Middle English cripte < Latin crypta < Greek kryptḗ hidden place, noun use of feminine of kryptós hidden, verbid of krýptein to hide; replacing earlier crypta < Latin, as above

Explanation

A crypt is a vault for burying the dead and is often underneath or part of a church building. Crypt rhymes with "gripped," and if you saw a corpse come out of a crypt, you would definitely be gripped with terror. While a coffin is a rectangular box used for burying dead people underground, a crypt is often an elaborate stone or marble vault that's above ground. Some cultures believe in investing in large, decorated crypts to honor the dead, while others choose simpler chambers very close together for keeping family members near, even in death. A crypt can inspire scary thoughts of lids popping and doors opening for the walking dead, but that's due mostly to the widespread crypt scenes in horror movies. Mostly.

Example Sentences

Give me lighting that makes it possible for me to take a Zoom call without looking like I’ve been buried alive in a dark crypt.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

When the structure is completed and the scaffolding dismantled, the tower will be blessed on June 10 to coincide with the centenary of the death of Gaudi, whose body lies in the basilica's crypt.

From Barron's • Feb. 10, 2026

"Over time, more and more areas with an older epigenetic profile develop in the tissue. Through the natural process of crypt division, these regions continuously enlarge and can continue to grow over many years."

From Science Daily • Jan. 10, 2026

Audiences can also pre-book a timed slot to visit the well and view the new mosaic in the crypt.

From BBC • Nov. 30, 2025

No sooner had those formalities of greeting been com-pleted than the king had said to his host, "Take me down to your crypt, Eddard. I would pay my respects."

From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin