Cryptocarya nitens is a tree that typically grows to a height of 8–30 m (26–98 ft) and a dbh of 15–30 cm (5.9–11.8 in), its branchlets covered with soft, rust-coloured hairs.

Flowering occurs from March to October, and the fruit is a spherical, shining black drupe, 8–16 mm (0.3–0.6 in) in diameter containing a single seed.

[2][3] This species was first formally described in 1851 by Carl Ludwig Blume whio gave it the name Tetranthera nitens in the his Museum Botanicum Lugduno-Batavum sive stirpium Exoticarum, Novarum vel Minus Cognitarum ex Vivis aut Siccis Brevis Expositio et Descriptio.

[4][5] In 1904, Sijfert Hendrik Koorders and Theodoric Valeton transferred the species to Cryptocarya as C. nitens in the journal Mededeelingen Uit's Lands Platentuin.

[2] This species of Cryptocarya grows on riversides on open hill to lowland forest at altitudes up to 250 m (820 ft) in Southern Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra, Java and Christmas Island in Australia.