cryptid
noun/ˈkɹɪp.tɪd/
Etymology From crypt + -id. Coined by John E. Wall in 1983 in the ISC Newsletter.
1
Biology, Cryptozoology, Natural sciences, Zoology A creature known only from folklore or legend, the existence of which is not proven by scientific observation.
- Now comes perhaps the cleverest tag of all: cryptozoology. It refers to the search for new animals, animals dwelling in unexpected places, and most importantly for "X-Files" scriptwriters, "cryptids"—legendary creatures such as the yeti.1999 August 16, Steve Burgess, “Loren Coleman, Loch Ness snowman of cryptozoology”, in salon.com:
- Well, that's a painting of the mysterious Brown Blur. It's a cryptid that allegedly roams these very woods.2025 November 9, Zach Hadel, Michael Cusack, “Pim and Charlie Save Mother Nature” (01:06 from the start), in Smiling Friends, season 3, episode 5, spoken by Mr. Boss (Marc M.), via Cartoon Network: