crypto

1 of 2

noun

cryp·​to ˈkrip-(ˌ)tō 

plural cryptos

1

: 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

2

: cryptography sense 2

3

: 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

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

June is designed to directly serve customers, making their crypto experience smarter, faster, and safer. —Sandy Carter, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025

Related episodes: The celebrity crypto nexus The Olympian to influencer pipeline (Apple / Spotify) For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. —Darian Woods, NPR, 14 Aug. 2025

Cryptocurrency exchange Bullish, which also owns crypto news site CoinDesk, surged in its debut on Wall Street. —Stan Choe, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2025

The CoinDesk 20 index , a measure of the broader crypto market, was up 2%. —Tanaya MacHeel, CNBC, 13 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

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

Combining form

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

First Known Use

Noun

1946, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Medical Definition

crypto

noun

cryp·​to ˈkrip-(ˌ)tō 

: cryptosporidium sense 2

also : cryptosporidiosis