The cryptic is mysterious or enigmatic.
Before entering fully into the meaning of the cryptic term, we are going to proceed to know its etymological origin. In this case, we can state that it comes from Latin, exactly from crypticus , which can be translated as "underground." That word, in turn, emanates from the Greek, kritikós , which is synonymous with “relative to a crypt” or “what is hidden under a thing.”
The first meaning of the term cryptic mentioned in the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ) refers to that linked to cryptography : the technique that consists of writing a message using a secret key.
What is cryptic
The cryptic, therefore, is enigmatic, mysterious or unintelligible . For example : “The police found a cryptic note in the missing woman's home,” “The company issued a cryptic statement announcing that there will soon be news on the matter,” “It is a cryptic essay, difficult to read.”
Suppose a person delivers the following message: “In a short time, the Illustrious Knight will break into the dawn and everything will change.” The content of the note can be classified as cryptic since it is not clear what it refers to: How long is “a short time” ? Who is the Illustrious Knight ? What will “change” ? Cryptic messages like this usually have multiple interpretations.
Take the case of a footballer who, upon leaving his club, tells the press that there is “a very important reason” why he is leaving the institution, but that he will only say so “at the appropriate time.” These statements can be noted as cryptic since they do not provide concrete or specific information .
In the biological field, the term cryptic is associated with camouflage.
The concept in biology
In the field of zoology and botany, the adjective cryptic refers to what allows a species to camouflage itself by its color or aroma: “The cryptic fur of the hare helps it hide from its predators.”
Within the field of biology, we also have to know that the term that concerns us now is used. Specifically, in this sector reference is made to what is known as the cryptic species complex . What this expression refers to is a group of species that have the particularity that they are isolated from other species at the reproductive level.
In the same way, there are also the so-called cryptic species , also called twins . They are characterized because they are very similar in morphological aspects, both in physiognomy and morphology or behavior, but they are reproductively isolated. So much so that it is considered necessary to analyze them at a genetic level in order to know if they are the same species or if, on the contrary, they belong to different species.
It must be stated that this term has its origins in the 20th century. Specifically, it was in 1942 when Ernst Mayr presented it within the scope of scientific literature after having translated it from other languages, such as French.