cryptic

[ krip-tik ]

adjective

1. mysterious in meaning; puzzling; ambiguous:

   a cryptic message.

   Synonyms: enigmatic

2. abrupt; terse; short:

   a cryptic note.

3. secret; occult:

   a cryptic writing.

4. involving or using cipher, code, etc.
5. Zoology. fitted for concealing; serving to camouflage.

noun

1. a cryptogram, especially one designed as a puzzle.

cryptic

/ ˈkrɪptɪk /

adjective

1. hidden; secret; occult
2. (esp of comments, sayings, etc) obscure in meaning
3. (of the coloration of animals) tending to conceal by disguising or camouflaging the shape

Derived Forms

• ˈcryptically, adverb

Other Words From

• crypti·cal·ly adverb
• non·cryptic adjective
• non·crypti·cal adjective
• non·crypti·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of cryptic¹

1595–1605; < Late Latin crypticus < Greek kryptikós hidden. See crypt, -ic

Word History and Origins

Origin of cryptic¹

C17: from Late Latin crypticus, from Greek kruptikos, from kruptos concealed; see crypt

Synonym Study

See ambiguous.

Example Sentences

A Hawaii woman disappeared after sending a cryptic message to her family and then missing a connecting flight to New York at Los Angeles International Airport, according to her family and police.

From Los Angeles Times

The tour news comes after MCR on Monday dropped a cryptic graphic on its social channels, captioned, “If you could be anything, what would you be?”

From Los Angeles Times

During the pandemic, I was researching the fashion industry when I stumbled across a cryptic Instagram comment written by a former model named Barrett Pall.

From BBC

Before changing her tune Tuesday, LaPaglia a day prior had posted a cryptic passage about letting go of the past.

From Los Angeles Times

On Saturday, Sahle-Work posted a brief and somewhat cryptic message on X, implying she was unhappy as a result of staying silent for the past year.

From BBC

Related Words

• ambiguous
• arcane
• enigmatic
• equivocal
• incomprehensible
• mysterious
• strange
• vague
• veiled