crypto

1 of 2

noun

cryp·​to ˈkrip-(ˌ)tō 

plural cryptos

1

: a person who adheres or belongs secretly to a party, sect, or other group

And jaws dropped, he said, when he explained the theory that Christopher Columbus was a "crypto" or hidden Jew.

—Kim Vo

2

: cryptography sense 2

3

: cryptocurrency

A specialty finance firm … is the first to offer brokers the option to get their commissions paid up front, in crypto, underscoring how digital coins are becoming a more mainstream part of financial transactions.

—Jennifer Schonberger

—often used before another noun

crypto assets

the crypto market

crypto-

2 of 2

combining form

variants or before a vowel crypt-

1

: hidden : covered

cryptogenic

2

: hidden by dissembling : unavowed

crypto-fascist

3

: cryptographic

cryptanalysis

Examples of crypto in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Shares in Coinbase, the largest U.S. crypto exchange, were set to rise about 14% Monday. —Rob Wile, NBC News, 11 Nov. 2024

Despite the investments in crypto and NFTs, Trump's investments are largely held in stocks, index funds and bonds, including U.S. Treasuries, according to the form. —Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 5 Nov. 2024

The big picture: All these actions follow a joint statement from Federal bank regulators in 2023 about the risks of mixing banking and crypto services. —Brady Dale, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024

Bitcoin and crypto prices are braced for volatility through the U.S. election, with odds on the Polymarket prediction platform suddenly narrowing. —Billy Bambrough, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024

Nearly half of all corporate money raised this election comes from crypto firms. —Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2024

The crypto players have denied the SEC's allegations. —Hannah Lang, USA TODAY, 1 Nov. 2024

Steel, meanwhile, has attacked her opponent, Democrat Derek Tran, for his crypto holdings. —Laura J. Nelson, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2024

Blockchain boss weighs in Kristin Smith, CEO of Blockchain Association, explains how crypto will play a role on the presidential election. —The Hill, 31 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

(sense 1) independent use of crypto-; (senses 2 & 3) by shortening

Combining form

combining form from Greek kryptós "hidden, secret" — more at crypt

First Known Use

Noun

1946, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Medical Definition

crypto

noun

cryp·​to ˈkrip-(ˌ)tō 

: cryptosporidium sense 2

also : cryptosporidiosis