cryptolect

English

Etymology

From crypto- (“concealed, hidden, secret”) +‎ -lect (“[language] variety”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: krĭpʹtəlĕkt, IPA^(key): /ˈkɹɪptəlɛkt/
• (US) enPR: krĭpʹtəlĕkt', IPA^(key): /ˈkɹɪptəˌlɛkt/

Noun

cryptolect (plural cryptolects)

1. (linguistics) A secretive language form used by a subculture; an arcane cant.

   Cockney rhyming slang developed originally from the cryptolects of London’s thieves and vagabonds.

Derived terms

• cryptolectal

Translations

A secretive language form

• Finnish: salakieli (fi)
• French: cryptolecte (fr) m
• German: Geheimsprache (de) f
• Hungarian: please add this translation if you can
• Romanian: limbaj secret n
• Russian: please add this translation if you can

References

• “cryptolect, n.” listed in the Oxford English Dictionary (draft entry, March 2006)