cryptic

[ krip-tik ]

adjective

1. mysterious in meaning; puzzling; ambiguous:

   a cryptic message.

   Synonyms: enigmatic

2. abrupt; terse; short:

   a cryptic note.

3. secret; occult:

   a cryptic writing.

4. involving or using cipher, code, etc.
5. Zoology. fitted for concealing; serving to camouflage.

noun

1. a cryptogram, especially one designed as a puzzle.

cryptic

/ ˈkrɪptɪk /

adjective

1. hidden; secret; occult
2. (esp of comments, sayings, etc) obscure in meaning
3. (of the coloration of animals) tending to conceal by disguising or camouflaging the shape

Derived Forms

• ˈcryptically, adverb

Other Words From

• crypti·cal·ly adverb
• non·cryptic adjective
• non·crypti·cal adjective
• non·crypti·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of cryptic¹

1595–1605; < Late Latin crypticus < Greek kryptikós hidden. See crypt, -ic

Word History and Origins

Origin of cryptic¹

C17: from Late Latin crypticus, from Greek kruptikos, from kruptos concealed; see crypt

Synonym Study

See ambiguous.

Example Sentences

Neon’s somewhat cryptic demos showed off virtual, AI-powered avatars that were surprisingly convincing and conversational.

From Popular-Science

Some people write love letters, some try to fool others into thinking they’re actually traveling, and some send cryptic messages anonymously.

From Washington Post

Search engines can intuit what you’re looking for from a few cryptic keywords.

From Quartz

The cryptic message was accompanied by a change to Abovitz’s Twitter bio referencing something called Project Phoenix.

From Fortune

After two weeks of nearly daily posts, he retired the project with one final, cryptic, self-written message.

From MIT Technology Review

Even as early as December 4, remarks from inside the bubble were cryptic and frightened.

From The Daily Beast

He was like some cryptic English-Chekhovian figure, playing out the last days of his private, imagined Raj.

From The Daily Beast

Kurant has crafted a new, cryptic narrative in which the three redundant characters come together in a wrecking yard.

From The Daily Beast

I also think Damian Lewis's performance was stellar in episode after episode: vivid, cryptic, and (against all odds) believable.

From The Daily Beast

While her motives may be a bit cryptic, she's certainly embracing the silver fox look.

From The Daily Beast

With that cryptic message she ran back to the door, which was immediately slammed behind her.

From Project Gutenberg

This query is no doubt a very correct and moral one, but it seems somewhat cryptic.

From Project Gutenberg

He does not say cryptic things or babble trivialities in the name of the mighty Dead—the mighty Damned or the mighty Blest.

From Project Gutenberg

At the most he would fling out some cryptic hint, bestow some malediction upon life in general.

From Project Gutenberg

There were a few cryptic cautionary references to heightened physico-psychological effects.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• ambiguous
• arcane
• enigmatic
• equivocal
• incomprehensible
• mysterious
• strange
• vague
• veiled