crypt

The story

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromκρυπτός“hidden”
2. Latin · learned borrowing fromcrypta“vault”
3. English todaycrypt

Learned borrowing from Latin crypta (“vault”), from Ancient Greek κρυπτός (kruptós, “hidden”). Doublet of grotto.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 15th c. A cave or cavern.
• from 16th c. Especially: one beneath a church that is used as a burial chamber.
• from 19th c. A small pit or cavity in the surface of an organ or other structure.