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

Over the past year, Hyperliquid’s generated nearly $700 million in revenue, according to data from the crypto analytics site DefiLlama. —Ben Weiss, Fortune, 14 Mar. 2026

The online brokerage debuted its platinum credit card this month, going up against industry stalwarts like American Express and JPMorgan Chase, as part of Tenev’s drive to broaden its reach beyond the meme stock traders and crypto buyers who have driven its growth. —Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 13 Mar. 2026

The top individual contributors to Fairshake are tech investors Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, and the top firms contributing are the crypto companies Coinbase and Ripple, as well as Andreessen and Horowitz’s venture capital firm. —Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026

Money was just flowing out from Iranian crypto accounts. —Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 13 Mar. 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