Cryptogrammatical

/ˌkrɪptəɡræˈmætɪkəl/ adjective

Definition

Of, relating to, or of the nature of a cryptogram; written in or using secret codes or hidden meanings.

Etymology

An extended adjectival form of 'cryptogram' using the '-ical' suffix, this variant emerged in scholarly texts to provide more formal or emphatic expression of the concept of hidden or encoded writing.

Kelly Says

The distinction between '-atic' and '-ical' endings is subtle but real—'cryptogrammatical' sounds more formal and scholarly, the kind of word you'd find in a linguistics paper rather than casual conversation.

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