The story
From crypto- (prefix ‘hidden; secret’) + -lect (suffix denoting a language variety).
First known use, by meaning
- from 1980s A secretive language form used by a subculture; an arcane cant.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Today it means: A secretive language form used by a subculture; an arcane cant. Full definition →
From crypto- (prefix ‘hidden; secret’) + -lect (suffix denoting a language variety).
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.