Cryptozoic
adj, name
adj, name ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
Adjective
- 1 Living in a cavity or small cave. not-comparable
- 2 Hidden (especially in the soil); not easily visible. not-comparable
"The arthropods of the forest biome can be divided into two ecological groups: the cryptozoic inhabitants of the soil and leaf litter, and the terrestrial and arboreal forms that live in more exposed localities."
- 3 Relating to a cryptozoite. not-comparable
Proper Noun
- 1 An eon or other time period before the Cambrian, when the fossils of hard-shelled animals first appeared in the geological record. archaic
Example
More examples"The arthropods of the forest biome can be divided into two ecological groups: the cryptozoic inhabitants of the soil and leaf litter, and the terrestrial and arboreal forms that live in more exposed localities."
Etymology
Etymology 1
From crypto- + -zoic, as any life from the period was considered to be hidden from scientific examination.
Etymology 2
From crypto- + -zoic.
More for "cryptozoic"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.