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

When pressed about notions that the crypto industry is more friendly to Republicans, Allaire said crypto's push into the mainstream has brought parties to the table that are important across the political spectrum. — Spencer Kimball,garrett Downs,dan Mangan,kevin Breuninger,justin Papp, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2026

Sports and crypto bets still dwarf election contracts across both platforms, and the 2026 midterms attracted less trading interest than the presidential race. — Jake Angelo, semafor.com, 4 Nov. 2026

Frantic crypto investors are pulling their money out of Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, following a $6 billion cyberattack that the FBI attributed to North Korea. — Julia Black, Vanity Fair, 3 Nov. 2026

The crypto exchange detected this, replaced the device and changed credentials, ​but the employee’s role and that of others on the wallet team were exposed ​to the hacker. — Reuters, NBC news, 3 Nov. 2026

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