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cryptic

   Also found in: Medical, Legal, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia 0.01 sec.
cryp·tic  (krptk) also cryp·ti·cal (-t-kl)
adj.
1. Having hidden meaning; mystifying. See Synonyms at ambiguous.
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.]

crypti·cal·ly adv.
cryptic·ness n.

cryptic [ˈkrɪptɪk], cryptical
adj
1. hidden; secret; occult
2. (Literary & Literary Critical Terms) (esp of comments, sayings, etc.) obscure in meaning
3. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Zoology) (of the coloration of animals) tending to conceal by disguising or camouflaging the shape
[from Late Latin crypticus, from Greek kruptikos, from kruptos concealed; see crypt]
cryptically  adv
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
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"
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
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.
Translations
cryptic [ˈkrɪptɪk] ADJ [message, clue] → críptico; [comment] → enigmático, críptico; (= coded) → en clave

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

cryptic
adj remark etchintergründig, rätselhaft, schleierhaft; clue, riddle etcverschlüsselt; you’re being very crypticdu drückst dich sehr rätselhaft or schleierhaft aus

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

cryptic
adj cryptic [ˈkriptik]
intentionally very difficult to understand or make sense of a cryptic message. geheim, raaiselagtig, duister, kripties غامِض، مُبْـهـم неразгадаем záhadný kryptisk; uklar; mystisk rätselhaft επίτηδες δυσνόητος oculto, secreto, enigmático krüpteeritud مرموز؛ مبهم arvoituksellinen énigmatique בָּעַל מַשמָעוּת נִסתֶרֶת गुप्त zamršen, šifriran rejtélyes sulit dipahami dularfullur criptico 謎めいた 불가해한 mįslingas noslēpumains; mīklains tersembunyi raadselachtig kryptisk, gåtefull, mystisk zagadkowy misterioso criptic; enigmatic таинственный záhadný skriven šifrovan kryptisk ที่เป็นความลับ esrarengiz, anlaşılması güç 難解的 таємний; загадковий پیچیدہ، غامض bí ẩn ,


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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
I don't like cats as is women," was Alec's cryptic reply.
Hence the name, which has no cryptic significance, but only fact.
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.
 
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