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Kevin
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January 6, 2023
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Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, El Chupacabra — do you know any of these names? If so, you may be able to guess what today’s “word of the day” is about. That’s right — today, we’re learning all about cryptids.
Read on as we explore the word cryptid to uncover its definition, origin, proper usage, synonyms, and more.
Are you ready to explore the weird world of cryptids?
What Is the Definition of Cryptid?
/ˈkrɪptɪd/ /ˈkrip-təd/
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a cryptid is simply any creature that may or possibly may not exist. While many have claimed to see some of these creatures, none have yet to prove it.
Simply put, a cryptid is any animal that has yet to be classified by zoology — what we are talking about here are creatures like the abominable snowman, unicorns, el chupacabra, and other famous cryptids.
What Is the Etymology of Cryptid?
The English usage of the noun cryptid was first coined in 1983 by John E. Wall in the ISC Newsletter.
What Are Some Famous Cryptids?
As we have touched on before, a cryptid is a creature (or plant) whose existence has been suggested are being real by many but has not yet received recognition by scientific consensus and, in turn, has been rejected by the scientific community.
However, through cryptozoology and even cryptobotany, many cryptids are known by many around the globe. Below you will find a list of some of the more famous cryptids:
Loch Ness Monster
Arguably one of the most commonly known cryptids, the Loch Ness Monster or Nessie, is a lake monster that is said to reside in Loch Ness in the highlands of Scotland.
Yeti
The Yeti, which is also known as the Abominable Snowman, is said to roam the Himalayan Mountains.
Lizard Man of Scape Ore Swamp
The Lizard Man of Scape Ore Swamp, or the Lizard Man of Lee County, is allegedly bipedal and said to roam all over South Carolina, U.S.A.
El Chupacabra
The Chupacabra or Chupacabras can be literally translated to goat-sucker (chupar; to suck and cabras; goats). This cryptid was allegedly first spotted in Puerto Rico but now has been reported throughout the Americas.
Sasquatch
Also known as Bigfoot, this hairy ape-like creature is said to reside somewhere between Canada and the United States.
Jersey Devil
The Jersey Devil or Leeds Devil has most commonly been spotted around the South Jersey Pine Barrens in the U.S., but sightings have been reported all over southeastern Pennsylvania.
Mothman
Also commonly known as the Mason Bird monster, UFO-Bird, BirdMan, and even WingedMan, this cryptid is said to roam all over Mason County, West Virginia, in the United States.
Mongolian Death Worm
Also known as the Allghoi Khoikhoi or Orghoi Khoikhoi, the Mongolian death worm is allegedly a worm-like animal that lives throughout the Gobi Desert of Asia.
British Big Cats
Also known as Alien big cats (ABCs), mystery cats, English lions, phantom cats, Beast of Exmoor, and Beast of Bodmin, the British big cats are said to be carnivorous mammals that wander all of Great Britain, or so they say.
Champ
This lake monster is known as Champ, Champy, or even Champtanystropheus Americanus and is said to reside in North America within Lake Champlain.
Mokele-Mbembe
This cryptid is said to resemble a dinosaur or possibly a swamp monster and has been allegedly sighted within the Republic of the Congo.
Almas
This non-human ape or hominid is said to traipse across Asia and is known by many names, such as abnauayu, almasty, biabin-guli, bekk-bok, kaptar, mirygdy, kra-dhun, voita, gul-biavan, mulen, wind-man, ochokochi, and Zana.
Skunk Ape
The Skunk ape, also known as the Stink ape, Myakka Skunk ape, or simply the Myakka ape, is said to reside in the state of Florida within the United States.
Yowie
This large hairy humanoid creature is said to ramble all over Australia.
How Can You Use Cryptid in a Sentence?
An easy way to get acquainted with a new word and its meaning is by using it in a sentence. Challenge your newfound knowledge by quizzing yourself to see how many sentences you can come up with using cryptid!
Below you will find a few example sentences of the usage of cryptid:
“Hey man, did you see the article in the National Geographic about Prothero and Laxton? They were talking about cryptids; you have to read this article!”
“Angela, that was not a sea serpen. We both know that such a cryptid does not exist in this small pond. Stop trying to scare the children with your fairy tales.”
“I love a good campfire story as much as the next guy, but perhaps for tonight, we skip the story about Bigfoot. I’m pretty sure my grandad told me that cryptid roams these woods, and honestly, I would rather not poke the bear, so to speak.”
What Are Translations of Cryptid?
Now that you understand the meaning behind cryptid, let’s take a look at a few translations, shall we?
Translations of cryptid:
- Arabic — كريبتيد
- Bulgarian — криптод
- Croatian — kriptid
- American English — cryptid
- Finnish — kryptinen
- French — cryptide
- German — Kryptid
- Italian — criptide
- Greek — κρυπτονόμισμα
- Japanese — クリプティッド
- Korean — 암호 해독
- Norwegian — kryptid
- Indonesian — Cryptid
- Hebrew — קריפטיד
- Polish — kryptyda
- British English — cryptid
- Portugese — criptografóide
- Russian — криптид
- Spanish — críptido
- Swedish — kryptid
- Turkish — şifreli
- Ukrainian — криптид
Conclusion
To recap, a cryptid is an animal whose very existence may be a hoax.
While many may claim they exist and will swear up and down they have seen them, no one can scientifically prove their existence.
In short, cryptids are the reason behind many folk tales and legends, though most of us in the U.S. probably best associate our word of the day with the human-like creature Sasquatch and other hominids.
Sources:
Himalayas | Definition, Location, History, Countries, Mountains, Map, & Facts | Britannica
