different between cryptic vs surreptitious

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

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin surr?pt?cius (“furtive, clandestine”), from surr?p? (“to creep along”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?s???p?t???s/
• (US) IPA^(key): /s????p?t???s/, /?s???p?t???s/, /?s???p?t???s/
• Rhymes: -???s

Adjective

surreptitious (comparative more surreptitious, superlative most surreptitious)

1. Stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert (especially movements).

Synonyms

• See Thesaurus:covert

Derived terms

• surreptitiously
• surreptitiousness

Related terms

• subreption
• surreptition

Translations