cryptic

CEFRC1

/ˈkɹɪptɪk/

adjective

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

01
adjective
Mysterious and difficult to understand.
02
adjective
Extra detail
Involving use of a code or cipher.

Examples

Things are getting a little more cryptic!
Tom was writing cryptic notes in a cipher.

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Senses: 5
Parts of speech: 1
Citations: 5

Deep Dive

adjective

Extra meanings

Mystified or of an obscure nature; not easy to perceive.
Having hidden (unapparent) meaning.
Of a crossword puzzle, or a clue in such a puzzle, using, in addition to definitions, wordplay such as anagrams, homophones and hidden words to indicate solutions.

More examples

In context

Lonomia caterpillars are extremely cryptic.
cryptic colouring
cryptic species

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The detective found a blank note that no one could understand.

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Nearby

Citations

The word in print, with each source given in full.

I think the Original of this conceit might be, That the Students of Nature, conſcious to her more cryptick wayes of working, reſolve many ſtrange effects into the nearer efficiency of ſecond cauſes[…]
1665, Joseph Glanvill, “An Apology for Philosophy”, in Scepsis Scientifica: Or, Confest Ignorance, the way to Science, London: E. Cotes, page 182
Even the putatively innocuous whimsical shapes and designs of cakes and pastry, notably in Central Europe, retain to this day the phallic concept, the cryptic induration of the aphrodisiac function.
1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, New York: The Citadel Press, page iii
Episematic characters are far less common than aposematic, and these than cryptic; although, as regards the latter comparison, the opposite impression is generally produced from the fact that concealment is so successfully attained.
1911, “Colours of Animals”, in The Encyclopædia Britannica, 11th edition, volume V, page 732
Much of the Permian Capitan reef was strongly differentiated into open surface and cryptic communities.
1999, Rachel Wood, Reef Evolution, page 95
He settled down to the cryptic in the Independent. He loved his crossword. It kept him mentally active, just as gossip did his wife.
1996, Mary McCarthy, Remember Me, page 85

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Origin

adjective

From Late Latin crypticus, from Ancient Greek κρυπτικός (kruptikós), from κρυπτός (kruptós, “hidden”), from κρύπτω (krúptō, “to hide”). Doublet of kryptic.

Deep Dive

adjective

More examples

Quick test

The detective found a blank— note that no one could understand.

Nearby

Origin

adjective

The detective found a blank note that no one could understand.