cryptic

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Related to cryptic: Cryptic species

cryp·tic

(krĭp′tĭk) also cryp·ti·cal (-tĭ-kəl)

adj.

1. Having hidden meaning; mystifying. See Synonyms at mysterious.

2. Secret or occult.

3. Using code or cipher.

4. Biology Tending to conceal or camouflage: cryptic coloring.

[Late Latin crypticus, from Greek kruptikos, from kruptos, hidden, from kruptein, to hide.]

cryp′ti·cal·ly adv.

cryp′tic·ness n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

cryptic

(ˈkrɪptɪk) or

cryptical

adj

1. hidden; secret; occult

2. (Literary & Literary Critical Terms) (esp of comments, sayings, etc) obscure in meaning

3. (Zoology) (of the coloration of animals) tending to conceal by disguising or camouflaging the shape

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

ˈcryptically adv

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

cryp•tic

(ˈkrɪp tɪk)

also cryp′ti•cal,

adj.

1. mysterious in meaning; puzzling.

2. secret; occult: cryptic writing.

3. involving or using cipher or code.

4. Zool. fitted for concealing; serving to camouflage.

[1595–1605; < Late Latin crypticus < Greek kryptikós hidden]

cryp′ti•cal•ly, adv.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Adj.	1.	cryptic - of an obscure nature; "the new insurance policy is written without cryptic or mysterious terms"; "a deep dark secret"; "the inscrutable workings of Providence"; "in its mysterious past it encompasses all the dim origins of life"- Rachel Carson; "rituals totally mystifying to visitors from other lands" cryptical, inscrutable, mysterious, mystifying, deep incomprehensible, inexplicable - incapable of being explained or accounted for; "inexplicable errors"; "left the house at three in the morning for inexplicable reasons"
	2.	cryptic - having a secret or hidden meaning; "cabalistic symbols engraved in stone"; "cryptic writings"; "thoroughly sibylline in most of his pronouncements"- John Gunther cabalistic, kabbalistic, qabalistic, sibylline, cryptical esoteric - confined to and understandable by only an enlightened inner circle; "a compilation of esoteric philosophical theories"
	3.	cryptic - having a puzzling terseness; "a cryptic note" concise - expressing much in few words; "a concise explanation"

cryptic

adjective mysterious, dark, coded, puzzling, obscure, vague, veiled, ambiguous, enigmatic, perplexing, arcane, equivocal, abstruse, Delphic, oracular I wondered just what he meant by that cryptic remark.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

cryptic

adjective

Difficult to explain or understand:

arcane, cabalistic, enigmatic, mysterious, mystic, mystical, mystifying, occult, puzzling.

Translations

غامِض، مُبْـهـم

záhadný

kryptiskmystiskuklar

kryptisch rätselhaft

énigmatique

dularfullur

segreto

mįslingas

mīklainsnoslēpumains

gåtefull kryptisk mystisk

anlaşılması güçesrarengiz

含义模糊的隐义的

cryptic

[ˈkrɪptɪk] ADJ [message, clue] → críptico; [comment] → enigmático, críptico; (= coded) → en clave

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

cryptic

[ˈkrɪptɪk] adj (= mysterious) [message, reference, remark] → énigmatique cryptic crossword

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

cryptic

adj remark etc → hintergründig, rätselhaft, schleierhaft; clue, riddle etc → verschlüsselt; you’re being very cryptic → du drückst dich sehr rätselhaft or schleierhaft aus

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

cryptic

[ˈkrɪptɪk] adj (mysterious) → oscuro/a; (puzzling) → enigmatico/a
cryptic crossword → cruciverba m a crittogramma

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

cryptic

(ˈkriptik) adjective

intentionally very difficult to understand or make sense of. a cryptic message.

cryp·tic

a. críptico-a, escondido-a.

References in classic literature ?

I don't like cats as is women," was Alec's cryptic reply.

View in context

Hence the name, which has no cryptic significance, but only fact.

View in context

The father and daughter would have been quite content, apparently, to eat their dinner in silence, or with a few cryptic remarks expressed in a shorthand which could not be understood by the servants.

View in context

A telegram to this effect would be cold and cryptic, a personal visit seemed each moment more impossible.

View in context

There, hidden among those cryptic singing lines, was the clue.

View in context

He mused over the cryptic wonder of it till the secrets of love were made clear and he felt a keen sympathy for lovers who carved their names on trees or wrote them on the beach- sands of the sea.

View in context

Daylight stared his amazement at this cryptic utterance.

View in context

"A Wade check is always honored," was his cryptic assertion.

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While this cryptic conversation was in progress, Agravaine, his worst apprehensions realized, was trying to batter down the door.

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I had made rather an evening of it, what with increase of funds and decrease of anxiety, but this cryptic admonition spoiled the remainder of my night.

View in context

Powell thought with exasperation: "Here he goes again," for this utterance had nothing cryptic for him.

View in context

A soft, cryptic utterance which seemed to reach deeper than any diamond-hard tool could have done.