Etymology

cryptocurrency

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Today it means: A digital currency based on a cryptographic system, usually having no central issuing or regulating authority. Full definition →

English currency ← Medieval Latin currentia ← Latin currēns
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The story

  1. Ancient Greekκρῠ́πτω (krŭ́ptō)
  2. Ancient Greekκρῠπτός (krŭptós)
  3. Englishcrypto-
  4. Proto-Indo-European*ḱers-
  5. Proto-Indo-European*ḱr̥séti
  6. Proto-Italic*korsō
  7. Latincurrō
  8. Latincurrēns
  9. Medieval Latincurrentia
  10. Englishcurrency
  11. English todaycryptocurrency

From crypto- (“cryptographic”) + currency.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.