different between cryptic vs involved

English

Alternative forms

• cryptick (obsolete)

Etymology

From Late Latin crypticus, from Ancient Greek ????????? (kruptikós), from ??????? (kruptós, “hidden”), from ?????? (krúpt?, “to hide”). Compare cryptology.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?k??pt?k/

Adjective

cryptic (comparative more cryptic, superlative most cryptic)

1. Having hidden meaning.
2. Mystified or of an obscure nature.
3. Involving use of a code or cipher.
4. Of a crossword, or a clue in such a crossword, using, in addition to definitions, wordplay such as anagrams, homophones and hidden words to indicate solutions.
5. (zoology) Well camouflaged; having good camouflage.

6. (zoology) Serving as camouflage.
7. (biology, not comparable) Apparently identical, but actually genetically distinct.

8. (zoology) Living in a cavity or small cave.

   Synonym: (less common) cryptozoic

   • 1999, Rachel Wood, Reef Evolution, p. 95:

     Much of the Permian Capitan reef was strongly differentiated into open surface and cryptic communities.

Translations

Noun

cryptic (plural cryptics)

1. (informal) A cryptic crossword.
   • 2009, Bill Taylor, Building a crossword (in Toronto Star, 1 February 2009)

     This writer has been solving cryptics for 40 years and can usually crack Araucaria, though it might take a couple of days.

Derived terms

• cryptically
• cryptogram

English

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?n?v?lvd/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?n?v?lvd/
• Hyphenation: in?volved

Adjective

involved (comparative more involved, superlative most involved)

1. complicated.

   He related an involved story about every ancestor since 1895.

   • 1915, W. Somerset Maugham, Of Human Bondage, ch. 43

     Miss Price told him a long, involved story, which made out that Mrs. Otter, a humdrum and respectable little person, had scabrous intrigues.

2. Associated with others, be a participant or make someone be a participant (in a crime, process, etc.)

   He was involved in the project for three years.

   He got involved in a bar fight.

   When the family wrapped up my father's will, no one tried to make me feel involved.

3. Having an affair with someone.

Derived terms

• involvedly
• involvedness

Translations

Verb

involved

1. simple past tense and past participle of involve

   The explanation involved potatoes, squirrels, and race cars.