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cryptic

Syllabification: (cryp·tic)
Pronunciation: /ˈkriptik/

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Definition of cryptic

adjective

  • 1having a meaning that is mysterious or obscure:he found his boss’s utterances too cryptic
  • (of a crossword) having difficult clues that indicate the solutions indirectly.
  • 2 Zoology (of coloration or markings) serving to camouflage an animal in its natural environment.

Derivatives

cryptically

Pronunciation: /-ik(ə)lē/

adverb

Origin:

early 17th century: from late Latin crypticus, from Greek kruptikos, from kruptos 'hidden'. cryptic (sense 2) dates from the late 19th century

cryptic in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of cryptic in the British & World English dictionary

Nearby words

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