cryptic

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈkrɪptɪk/ UK /ˈkrɪptɪk/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
having a hidden or obscure meaning; mysterious

She left a cryptic note that no one could decipher.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · having a hidden or obscure... mysterious enigmatic obscure puzzling arcane abstruse occult

Opposites

clear obvious plain transparent straightforward

Word family

Derived forms cryptically

Related forms cryptcryptogramencryptapocryphal

Simplified etymology

Cryptic ultimately comes from Greek kryptos, meaning “hidden,” which explains its sense of something obscure or concealed in meaning.

Etymology

From Late Latin 'crypticus', from Ancient Greek 'kryptikos' ('fit for concealing'), from 'kryptos' ('hidden'), from 'kryptein' ('to hide').

kryptikos Ancient Greek kryptein Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# cryptic

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈkrɪptɪk/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈkrɪptɪk/

## Meanings
1. having a hidden or obscure meaning; mysterious

## Examples
- She left a cryptic note that no one could decipher.

## Synonyms
- mysterious
- enigmatic
- obscure
- puzzling
- arcane
- abstruse
- occult

## Antonyms
- clear
- obvious
- plain
- transparent
- straightforward

## Derived Forms
- cryptically

## Related Forms
- crypt
- cryptogram
- encrypt
- apocryphal

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: kryptikos
- Root: kryptein

## Etymology
From Late Latin 'crypticus', from Ancient Greek 'kryptikos' ('fit for concealing'), from 'kryptos' ('hidden'), from 'kryptein' ('to hide').

## AI Etymology
Cryptic is from Late Latin 'crypticus', from Ancient Greek 'kryptikos' ('fit for concealing'), from 'kryptos' ('hidden'), from 'kryptein' ('to hide'). The ancestry passes through Ancient Greek kryptikos and Ancient Greek kryptein. In present use as an adjective, it means "having a hidden or obscure meaning; mysterious", keeping the historical formation close to the word's ordinary semantic work. Related words include crypt, cryptogram, encrypt, and apocryphal; derived forms include cryptically. Its contrast set includes clear, obvious, plain, and transparent, which clarifies the semantic boundary of the modern word.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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