Word.ws English Dictionary

cryptolect

Syllables: cryp·to·lect/ˈkɹɪptə(ʊ)lɛkt/US/ˈkɹɪptəˌlɛkt/

cryptolect noun: a secretive language form used by a subculture; an arcane cant.

Noun

cryptolect (plural cryptolects)

  1. A secretive language form used by a subculture; an arcane cant.
    • Cockney rhyming slang developed originally from the cryptolects of London’s thieves and vagabonds.
    Synonyms:
    antilanguage, argot, cant

cryptolect meaning in Persian

cryptolect in Persian

secretive language form used by a subculture — see also cant
زبان رمزی

Synonyms of cryptolect

Forms of cryptolect

pluralcryptolects

Origin of cryptolect

From crypto- (prefix ‘hidden; secret’) + -lect (suffix denoting a language variety).

Words formed from cryptolect

Questions about cryptolect

What does cryptolect mean?
Cryptolect means a secretive language form used by a subculture; an arcane cant.
What is cryptolect in Persian?
Cryptolect in Persian is زبان رمزی. See Cryptolect meaning in Persian.
What part of speech is cryptolect?
Cryptolect is a noun.
How do you pronounce cryptolect?
Cryptolect is pronounced /ˈkɹɪptə(ʊ)lɛkt/ (UK).
What is the plural of cryptolect?
The plural of cryptolect is cryptolects.

Words near cryptolect in the dictionary

  1. cryptokarsts
  2. cryptolalia
  3. cryptolanguage
  4. cryptolanguages
  5. cryptolecanorine
  6. cryptolect
  7. cryptolectal
  8. cryptolects
  9. cryptolepine
  10. cryptoliberal
  11. cryptoliberals

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: cryptolect (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated:

Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-cryptolect.wav.

Cite this entry: “cryptolect.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/cryptolect. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.