crypto

¹ American  

[krip-toh] / ˈkrɪp toʊ /

noun

plural

cryptos

1. a person who secretly supports or adheres to a group, party, or belief.

2. cryptocurrency.

3. cryptography.

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adjective

1. secret or hidden; not publicly admitted.

   a crypto Nazi.

crypto- ² American  

1. a combining form meaning “hidden,” “secret,” used in the formation of compound words.

   cryptograph.

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crypto- British  

combining form

1. secret, hidden, or concealed

   cryptography

   crypto-fascist

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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.

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

The mood in the crypto market has dimmed in the past year, with prices falling and a marquee bill to regulate the industry failing to gain traction in Congress.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 25, 2026

Blockchain data shows the exchange he used was Coinbase, a major U.S. crypto marketplace that is required to verify its customers’ identities.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

The Justice Department says that Van Dyke then engaged in a ham-fisted scheme to cover his tracks, routing his profits to a foreign crypto account and asking Polymarket to delete his account.

From Slate • Apr. 24, 2026

The money behind Objection comes from that same ecosystem: investors like Thiel and Balaji Srinivasan, a crypto evangelist and prediction-market enthusiast.

From Salon • Apr. 23, 2026

“After university I went straight to work as a crypto math researcher at the Doughnut,” she said.

From "City Spies" by James Ponti