Cryptocurrency vocabulary mixes computer science, economics, finance, internet culture, and protocol-specific shorthand. The same word can also mean different things on different networks.
The Cryptionary is a maintained glossary designed to make that language easier to navigate.
How an entry works
Each term starts with a short definition for quick reference. Longer sections then add the technical mechanism, an example, important limitations, and links to related concepts where they improve understanding.
The glossary covers several kinds of language:
- protocol concepts such as blocks, UTXOs, consensus, and transaction fees;
- wallet and custody concepts such as seed phrases, private keys, and multisignature policies;
- token, smart-contract, privacy, and scaling terminology;
- market language and community slang that people encounter in discussion.
Precision matters
Definitions should distinguish a consensus rule from a node policy, a wallet from a custodian, and a common convention from a universal rule. They should also avoid presenting one network's design choices as objectively superior.
Some terms change over time. A proposal can remain a draft, software defaults can change, and a once-current product can become obsolete. Fast-changing claims are dated or linked to a primary source; evergreen entries focus on the underlying idea.
Find, follow, and correct
Use search or the A–Z index on the Cryptionary home page, then follow the related-term links to build context. If an entry is missing, biased, or outdated, send the term and your source through the contact page.
The goal is not to make complex systems sound simple. It is to explain them clearly enough that the remaining complexity is visible.