Crystal

Pronunciation

• enPR: krÄ­sʹtÉ™l, IPA: /ˈkrɪstÉ™l/

Alternative forms

• crystall obsolete
• chrystal obsolete

Origin

Old English cristal ("clear ice/mineral"), from Latin crystallum ("crystal, ice"), later reinforced from Anglo-Norman cristall, Middle French cristal, from Latin crystallum, from Ancient Greek κρύσταλλος (krustallos, "clear ice"), from κρύος (kruos, "frost"), from the Proto-Indo-European *krus-, *kru- ("hard, hard outer surface, crust").

Full definition of crystal

Noun

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

• (array of atoms) grain

Antonyms

• (array of atoms) amorphous, glass

Derived terms

• crystalliferous
• crystalline
• crystallite
• crystallization, crystallisation
• crystallize, crystallise
• crystallographer
• crystalloid
• crystal stone
• quasicrystal

Related terms

• blood crystal
• clear as crystal
• compound crystal
• crystal ball
• crystal clear
• Iceland crystal
• liquid crystal
• mountain crystal
• rock crystal

Adjective

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