crypto

1 of 2

noun

cryp·​to ˈkrip-(ˌ)tō How to pronounce crypto (audio)
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
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
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Noun
While still small relative to the recent stock market gains – with Nvidia itself worth more than $4 trillion – the crypto boom has created substantial wealth for millennials and the younger investors who were early investors in crypto. Robert Frank, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2025 First, reserves can be verified in real time, removing the opacity that has plagued both traditional banking and earlier crypto experiments. Luke Xie, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025 The argument that crypto has no fundamental value is based on the view that other assets—stocks, bonds, cash, property, or derivatives thereof—usually entitle holders to an underlying right, such as dividends, interest, land, or other legal rights. Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2025 Never pay using gift cards, wire transfers or crypto at their request. Lori Smith, Kansas City Star, 1 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for crypto

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of crypto was in 1946

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Crypto.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crypto. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

Medical Definition

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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