crystal

See also: Crystal

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle English crystal, cristal, criȝstall, from Old English cristalla (“crystal”), a borrowing from Latin crystallum (“crystal, ice”) (later reinforced from Anglo-Norman cristall and Middle French cristal, from Latin crystallum), from Ancient Greek κρύσταλλος (krústallos, “clear ice”), from κρύος (krúos, “frost”), from the Proto-Indo-European *krus-, *kru- (“hard, hard outer surface, crust”).

Pronunciation
  • enPR: krĭsʹtəl, IPA(key): /ˈkɹɪstəl/
  • Audio (CA)(file)

Noun

crystal (countable and uncountable, plural crystals)

  1. (countable) A solid composed of an array of atoms or molecules possessing long-range order and arranged in a pattern which is periodic in three dimensions.
  2. (countable) A piece of glimmering, shining mineral resembling ice or glass.
  3. (uncountable) A fine type of glassware, or the material used to make it.
  4. (uncountable, slang) Crystal meth: methamphetamine hydrochloride.
  5. The glass over the dial of a watch case.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Derived terms
Derived terms
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Translations
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Adjective

crystal (not comparable)

  1. Very clear.
    "Do I make myself clear?" / "Crystal."

References
  • “crystal” in Douglas Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2001–2019.
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