crypto
noun
a person who secretly supports or adheres to a group, party, or belief.
crypto
1 American
[krip-toh]
/ ˈkrɪp toʊ /
noun
-
cryptos
plural
-
a person who secretly supports or adheres to a group, party, or belief.
adjective
crypto-
2
American
crypto-
British
combining form
Usage
What does crypto- 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.”What are variants of crypto-?When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, crypto- becomes crypt-, as in cryptitis.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of crypto1
First recorded in 1945–50; probably independent use of crypto-; cf. -o
Origin of crypto-2
Combining form representing Greek kryptós hidden. See crypt
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.
See Examples For:
The focus now shifts to federal regulators who are working on their own frameworks to develop industry regulation and have expressed their willingness to accommodate crypto products in the mainstream financial system.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
In a Monday speech ahead of the Clarity Act vote, SEC Chairman Paul Atkins urged lawmakers to pass the bill, but signaled that crypto regulation was coming regardless of whether Congress acted.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
Whereas when the money supply contracts by 4%, the crypto has generally struggled.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026
In a setback for the crypto industry, a bill that would have helped usher digital assets into the mainstream financial system failed to advance in Congress.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026
“After university I went straight to work as a crypto math researcher at the Doughnut,” she said.
From "City Spies" by James Ponti
However, 80,000 bitcoins sit untouched in a now famous crypto- wallet address starting with '1Feex'.
From BBC ● Mar. 1, 2024
Block, the payments company led by Jack Dorsey, the founder of Twitter, has long been a crypto- backer.
From BBC ● Mar. 1, 2024
Tomorrow’s crypto- and blockchain-enhanced internet may achieve the same for value.
From Washington Post ● Jul. 5, 2022
That’s part of the reason for the crypto- prefix that shows up on words like “cryptocurrency.”
From The Verge ● Sep. 9, 2021
Her obsessive pursuit of a crypto- archaeological item is solidly in the “Raiders” playbook as well.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 14, 2018
Shares of Strategy jump in premarket trading, while Bitcoin and other cryptos also gain.
From Barron's ● Jun. 8, 2026
Investors may be rotating out of cryptos and into equities ahead of several big initial public offerings, Thahbib Rahman, analyst at crypto analytics firm Block Scholes, said.
From Barron's ● Jun. 5, 2026
When borrowing costs are lower, assets like cryptos become more attractive relative to interest-bearing investments like bonds.
From Barron's ● May 8, 2026
Ethereum, the second-biggest cryptos, and popular altcoin XRP fell by 3.3% and 2.7%, respectively.
From Barron's ● Apr. 23, 2026
Higher energy prices, linked to fighting in the Middle East, have weighed on the global economy and on risky assets like cryptos.
From Barron's ● Apr. 15, 2026
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.
