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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Bitcoin and crypto holders have been left reeling by an attack on cold hardware wallet Coldcard that's seen around $40 million worth of bitcoin stolen. Billy Bambrough, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026 The poll, conducted by the firm Normington Petts and viewed by Semafor, found that voters in Democratic primaries view crypto less favorably than oil companies; Wall Street; or data centers. Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 31 July 2026 The fund and the retail crypto buyer are operating from the same psychology at different scales. Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 30 July 2026 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 5 Aug. 2026.

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