cryptic
Americanadjective
-
mysterious in meaning; puzzling; ambiguous.
a cryptic message.
- Synonyms:
- enigmatic
-
abrupt; terse; short.
a cryptic note.
-
secret; occult.
a cryptic writing.
-
involving or using cipher, code, etc.
-
Zoology. fitted for concealing; serving to camouflage.
noun
adjective
-
hidden; secret; occult
-
(esp of comments, sayings, etc) obscure in meaning
-
(of the coloration of animals) tending to conceal by disguising or camouflaging the shape
Related Words
See ambiguous.
Other Word Forms
- cryptically adverb
- noncryptic adjective
- noncryptical adjective
- noncryptically adverb
Etymology
Origin of cryptic
1595–1605; < Late Latin crypticus < Greek kryptikós hidden. See crypt, -ic
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Finally, on Sunday afternoon, after weeks of speculation, dozens of cryptic tweets, half a dozen flights by private jet and one much-delayed team meeting, Kiffin was ready to announce his decision.
Mr Williams then created Masquerade, a book filled with cryptic riddles pointing to the hare's location, which attracted treasure hunters from around the globe before it was finally unearthed in 1982.
From BBC
“Endure,” he wrote, in his usual cryptic fashion.
From Barron's
“Endure,” he wrote on X, in his usual cryptic fashion.
From Barron's
In a recent interview with Politico External link, National Economic Advisor Kevin Hassett, another contender for Fed Chair, also argued that the Fed’s current process is too cryptic.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
