anticryptic
|an-ti-crypt-ic|
/ˌæn.tɪˈkrɪp.tɪk/
not hidden; overt
Etymology
'anticryptic' originates from Greek-derived elements: the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti') meaning 'against' or 'opposite' and 'cryptic' from Greek 'kryptos' meaning 'hidden'.
'anticryptic' is a modern English formation combining the prefix 'anti-' with the adjective 'cryptic' (itself from Greek 'kryptos' → Late Latin/Medieval Latin 'crypticus' → Middle English 'cryptic'), yielding a word meaning 'against hidden/secret'.
Initially formed to indicate opposition to being hidden ('against hidden'), the term has come to be used to describe things that are overt, not concealed, or lacking cryptic (camouflaging) qualities.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
not cryptic; not intended to be hidden or obscure—clear, explicit, or openly revealed.
The critic noted the author's anticryptic style, which left little ambiguous for readers to puzzle over.
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Adjective 2
(ecology/biology) Lacking cryptic coloration or camouflage; conspicuous or warning in appearance rather than hidden.
Many aposematic species are anticryptic, advertising their toxicity with bright colors instead of blending in.
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Last updated: 2025/08/30 10:50