plural cryptids
: an animal (such as Sasquatch or the Loch Ness Monster) that has been claimed to exist but never proven to exist
Contrary to popular belief, cryptids don't have to be supernatural, mythical or even all that strange—though many popular creatures acquire these characteristics as their legends grow.—
Hayley Williams
Hayley Williams… fighting the Grafton Monster—a monstrous cryptid vaguely resembling a cross between Bigfoot and a seal …—Alan Olson
Alan OlsonExamples of cryptid in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Our protagonist here is cryptid hunter Peter Byrne, a man whose tireless questing since the 1970s has earned him a special place in the Bigfoot research community.
—Chris Wheatley, Longreads, 18 Jan. 2024
Are There Other Tales of Unproven Creatures in Africa?
Beyond real prehistoric relics, Van Lierde’s sighting isn’t the only cryptid — a creature whose existence is unproven, like Bigfoot and or the Loch Ness Monster — that may await daring discoverers in the Congo.
—Max Bennett, Discover Magazine, 16 Jan. 2024
Frogman Festival Celebrating the mythical Loveland Frogman, this festival boasts more than 50 unique vendors, circus sideshows and speakers specializing in cryptids, the paranormal, unexplained phenomena, folklore, UFOs and more.
—Luann Gibbs, The Enquirer, 28 Feb. 2024
Yet, her experience isn’t too different from those who claim to have encountered cryptids, creatures whose existence remains a matter of debate.
—Chris Wheatley, Longreads, 18 Jan. 2024
Although many folklorists and historians believe this story belongs to the older tradition of kelpie and water horse legends, accounts of Loch Ness’s cryptid continued to pop up in history, with various sightings being reported over the centuries.
—Stephen C. George, Discover Magazine, 23 Jan. 2024
But the escalation to a sillier or darker or stranger punchline about his grievance against the filmmaker, or his attraction to a fellow cryptid, never materializes.
—Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Today someone can generate a convincing video of the world’s favorite cryptid species with little more than an artificial intelligence prompt.
—Daniel T. Ksepka, Scientific American, 1 Dec. 2023
Sneaky Sasquatch At its core, Sneaky Sasquatch is about a hungry cryptid in rural western Canada, who must steal food from the campsites and settlements around his home forest to survive.
—Vulture, 2 Oct. 2023
Chris Wheatley, Longreads, 18 Jan. 2024
Are There Other Tales of Unproven Creatures in Africa?
Beyond real prehistoric relics, Van Lierde’s sighting isn’t the only cryptid — a creature whose existence is unproven, like Bigfoot and or the Loch Ness Monster — that may await daring discoverers in the Congo.
—Max Bennett, Discover Magazine, 16 Jan. 2024
Frogman Festival Celebrating the mythical Loveland Frogman, this festival boasts more than 50 unique vendors, circus sideshows and speakers specializing in cryptids, the paranormal, unexplained phenomena, folklore, UFOs and more.
—Luann Gibbs, The Enquirer, 28 Feb. 2024
Yet, her experience isn’t too different from those who claim to have encountered cryptids, creatures whose existence remains a matter of debate.
—Chris Wheatley, Longreads, 18 Jan. 2024
Although many folklorists and historians believe this story belongs to the older tradition of kelpie and water horse legends, accounts of Loch Ness’s cryptid continued to pop up in history, with various sightings being reported over the centuries.
—Stephen C. George, Discover Magazine, 23 Jan. 2024
But the escalation to a sillier or darker or stranger punchline about his grievance against the filmmaker, or his attraction to a fellow cryptid, never materializes.
—Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Today someone can generate a convincing video of the world’s favorite cryptid species with little more than an artificial intelligence prompt.
—Daniel T. Ksepka, Scientific American, 1 Dec. 2023
Sneaky Sasquatch At its core, Sneaky Sasquatch is about a hungry cryptid in rural western Canada, who must steal food from the campsites and settlements around his home forest to survive.
—Vulture, 2 Oct. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cryptid.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Cryptid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cryptid. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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