cryptic
Americanadjective
-
mysterious in meaning; puzzling; ambiguous.
a cryptic message.
- Synonyms:
- enigmatic
-
abrupt; terse; short.
a cryptic note.
-
secret; occult.
a cryptic writing.
-
involving or using cipher, code, etc.
-
Zoology. fitted for concealing; serving to camouflage.
noun
adjective
-
hidden; secret; occult
-
(esp of comments, sayings, etc) obscure in meaning
-
(of the coloration of animals) tending to conceal by disguising or camouflaging the shape
Synonym Usage
See ambiguous.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of cryptic
1595–1605; < Late Latin crypticus < Greek kryptikós hidden. See crypt, -ic
Explanation
"White bunny. Moon square." Do you understand what that means? Of course not! It's totally cryptic. Cryptic comments or messages are hard to understand because they seem to have a hidden meaning. Cryptic is from Late Latin crypticus, from Greek kryptos, "hidden." This Greek adjective is the source of the English noun crypt, referring to a room under a church in which dead people are buried. That might account for why the word cryptic has an eerie tone to it.
Vocabulary lists containing cryptic
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"You're in luck tonight: you're getting two Bobby Womacks!" was the enthusiastic and rather cryptical introduction; and two shows is exactly what we got.
From The Guardian • Jun. 30, 2013
He did not explain that somewhat cryptical remark, and presently he left her and went to his room.
From Skyrider by Fischer, Anton Otto
Hitt reflected upon her cryptical remark, and then laughed.
From Carmen Ariza by Stocking, Charles Francis
Matters were in this cryptical state when the door opened and Father came in.
From New Treasure Seekers or, The Bastable Children in Search of a Fortune by Nesbit, E. (Edith)
Of course, it took me about half-an-hour to Champollion all this information from the cryptical utterances of the friendly Asiatic.
From Such Is Life by Furphy, Joseph
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
