crypt

¹

[ kript ]

noun

1. a subterranean chamber or vault, especially one beneath the main floor of a church, used as a burial place, a location for secret meetings, etc.
2. Anatomy. a slender pit or recess; a small glandular cavity.

crypt-

²

1. variant of crypto- before a vowel.

crypt

/ krɪpt /

noun

1. a cellar, vault, or underground chamber, esp beneath a church, where it is often used as a chapel, burial place, etc
2. anatomy any pitlike recess or depression

Derived Forms

• ˈcryptal, adjective

Other Words From

• under·crypt noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of crypt¹

1375–1425 for sense “grotto”; 1555–65 for current senses; late Middle English cripte < Latin crypta < Greek kryptḗ hidden place, noun use of feminine of kryptós hidden, verbid of krýptein to hide; replacing earlier crypta < Latin, as above

Word History and Origins

Origin of crypt¹

C18: from Latin crypta, from Greek kruptē vault, secret place, from kruptos hidden, from kruptein to hide

Example Sentences

On a recent midweek night in September, Crypto.com Arena is truly a crypt.

From Los Angeles Times

Truly, baseball crypts are filled with the dead arms of pitchers who were asked to compete in the postseason outside of their comfort zone.

From Los Angeles Times

They were working in a crypt and Ryder says she almost wept hearing Ortega reference specific shots from the classic.

From Los Angeles Times

Its importance to the Vikings is shown by two graves found by the Biddles just outside the eastern end of the church, next to the crypt.

From BBC

Conventional adenomas were thought to develop from mutations in the normal stem cells that lie at the bottoms of intestinal crypts, pit-like structures in the lining of the intestine.

From Science Daily