Crypt and Cryptic Both Mean Hidden
A crypt is an underground chamber beneath a church. The name shares a Greek root with cryptic and cryptography, all meaning concealed.
A crypt is a vault beneath a church, usually used for burial. The name says what it is: Greek *kryptos* means hidden, and the same root produced *cryptic*, *cryptography* and *cryptogram*. A crypt is literally a hidden place, and a cryptic crossword clue hides its answer in the same sense. The word arrived in English via Latin *crypta*, an underground passage.
- An underground vault. *The cathedral crypt.*
- Cryptic — mysterious. *A cryptic remark.*
- Cryptography — secret writing. *Modern cryptography.*
- Crypto- — hidden, as a prefix. *A crypto-fascist.*
- Greek — *kryptos*, hidden. *The source word.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | crypt | A dark crypt. |
| Plural | crypts | Two crypts. |
| Adjective | cryptic | A cryptic clue. |
| Noun | cryptography | Cryptography. |
| Greek | kryptos | Hidden. |
- The crypt is open to visitors.Architecture.
- He left a cryptic note.Mysterious.
- Kryptos means hidden.Etymology.
The kryptos family
- Crypt — a hidden underground chamber
- Cryptic — deliberately obscure
- Cryptography — the science of secret writing
- Cryptogram — a message written in code
- Cryptozoology — the search for hidden or unproven animals
Latin *crypta*, a vault or underground passage, from Greek *krypte*, from *kryptos*, hidden, from *kryptein*, to conceal.
Is a crypt always for burial?
Usually, but not always. Some crypts are chapels or storage vaults with no graves.
Are crypt and cryptic related?
Yes. Both come from Greek kryptos, hidden. A crypt is a hidden place; a cryptic clue hides its meaning.