cryptic

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cryp·tic

(krĭp′tĭk) alsocryp·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 Latincrypticus, from Greekkruptikos, fromkruptos,hidden, fromkruptein,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 Latincrypticus, from Greekkruptikos, fromkruptos concealed; see crypt]

ˈcrypticallyadv

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)

alsocryp′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 Latincrypticus < Greekkryptikós 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

adjectivemysterious,dark,coded,puzzling,obscure,vague,veiled,ambiguous,enigmatic,perplexing,arcane,equivocal,abstruse,Delphic,oracularI 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) →enclave

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] →énigmatiquecryptic crossword

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

cryptic

adj remark etc →hintergründig,rätselhaft,schleierhaft;clue, riddle etc →verschlüsselt;you’re being verycryptic →dudrückst dich sehrrätselhaftorschleierhaft 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 →cruciverbam acrittogramma

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

cryptic

(ˈkriptik) adjective

intentionally very difficult to understand or make sense of.a cryptic message. geheim, raaiselagtig, duister, kripties غامِض، مُبْـهـم неразгадаем misterioso záhadnýrätselhaft kryptisk; uklar; mystisk επίτηδες δυσνόητοςoculto,secreto,enigmático krüpteeritud مرموز؛ مبهم arvoituksellinenénigmatique בָּעַל מַשמָעוּת נִסתֶרֶת गुप्त zamršen, šifriran rejtélyes sulit dipahami dularfullurcriptico 謎めいた 불가해한 mįslingas noslēpumains; mīklains tersembunyiraadselachtigkryptisk,gåtefull,mystisk zagadkowy مرموز،مبهمmisterioso criptic; enigmaticтаинственный záhadný skriven šifrovan kryptisk ที่เป็นความลับesrarengiz, anlaşılması güç 難解的 таємний; загадковий پیچیدہ، غامض bí ẩn 隐义的，含义模糊的

cryp·tic

a. críptico-a, escondido-a.

English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

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

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Hence the name, which has nocryptic significance, but only fact.

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

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

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There, hidden among thosecryptic singing lines, was the clue.

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He mused over thecryptic 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.

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Daylight stared his amazement at thiscryptic utterance.

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"A Wade check is always honored," was hiscryptic assertion.

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While thiscryptic 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 thiscryptic admonition spoiled the remainder of my night.

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Powell thought with exasperation: "Here he goes again," for this utterance had nothingcryptic for him.

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

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