crescent

American  

[kres-uhnt] / ˈkrɛs ənt /

noun

crescents plural

1. a shape resembling a segment of a ring tapering to points at the ends.

2. something, as a roll or cookie, having this shape.

3. Astronomy.

   1. the figure of the moon in its first or last quarter, resembling a segment of a ring tapering to points at the ends.

   2. the similar figure of Mercury and Venus on either side of inferior conjunction, when seen through a telescope.

4. the emblem of Turkey or of Islam.

5. the power, religion, or civilization of Turkey or of Islam.

6. Also called Chinese crescent.  Also called Chinese pavilion.  Also called jingling Johnny, pavillon Chinois.  Also called Turkish crescent.  a musical percussion instrument of Turkish origin, consisting of a pole bearing a crescent-shaped metal plate, topped with a pavillon, and hung with small bells.

7. Chiefly British.

   1. a curved street, often having solid façades of unified architectural design.

   2. the curve or curved portion of a street.

8. Heraldry. a representation of a crescent moon, horns upward unless otherwise specified, used as the cadency mark of a second son.

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adjective

1. shaped like a crescent.

2. increasing; growing.

crescent British  

/ -zənt, ˈkrɛsənt, krəˈsɛntɪk /

noun

1. the biconcave shape of the moon in its first or last quarters

2. any shape or object resembling this

3. 1. a crescent-shaped street, often lined with houses of the same style

   2. ( capital when part of a name )

      Pelham Crescent

4. heraldry a crescent moon, used as the cadency mark of a second son

5. (often capital)

   1. the emblem of Islam or Turkey

   2. Islamic or Turkish power

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adjective

1. archaic increasing or growing

crescent Scientific  

/ krĕs′ənt /

1. Partly but less than half illuminated. Used to describe the Moon or a planet.

2. Compare gibbous

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• crescentic
  adjective
• subcrescentic
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• crescents
  plural

Etymology

Origin of crescent

1350–1400; < Latin crēscent- (stem of crēscēns ) present participle of crēscere to grow ( see create, -esce); replacing Middle English cressaunt < Anglo-French < Latin as above

Explanation

A crescent is a thin, curved shape that’s thicker in the middle and tapers to thin points at each end, like the little sliver of moon you might notice in the sky. Crescent was first used to describe the shape of the waxing, or growing moon, and if you listen closely you can hear its similarity to increase. But a crescent can be any thin, curved shape. You might see a crescent of light hitting the pavement or a crescent of beach next to the ocean. Crescent can also act as an adjective describing something that has that shape, like a crescent moon or a crescent roll.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

crescent crescents

Images taken by the spacecraft's multispectral camera showed the crescent stretching farther around the planet than expected.

From Science Daily ● May 26, 2026

"The thin crescent on approach and the nearly 'full Mars' view after we fly past create opportunities for the imaging team for both great calibration observations as well as just plain beautiful photos."

From Science Daily ● May 11, 2026

Think crescent dough wrapped around ribbons of honey ham and Swiss, each ball bathed in a poppy-seed-studded glaze of butter, Dijon, Worcestershire, and a hint of brown sugar, then baked until puffed, golden, and gleaming.

From Salon ● Dec. 18, 2025

In the UK, if the skies are clear, a waning crescent Moon will only rise after midnight which should mean several hours of dark skies to see the meteors more clearly.

From BBC ● Dec. 12, 2025

I lie there until the first crescent of sunlight appears on the floor of my bedroom, like a seashell washed in on the tide.

From "How to Disappear Completely" by Ali Standish

For crescents and rugelach: Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 15, 2022

The artist’s views move from “Full Pink Moon” — the only picture mounted on a lightbox for maximum luminosity — to such barely-there crescents as “Razor’s Edge” and “Tangerine Slice.”

From Washington Post ● Jan. 12, 2022

And it is those handsome townhouses and sweeping crescents, along with traces of the Roman past, that bring in visitors by the coachload.

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2021

Once, hands wet from their hourly washing, I tried to turn the bathroom doorknob and my nails dug into my own palm, leaving four bright red crescents in my hand.

From Slate ● Dec. 31, 2020

It noted full moons and crescents and the official change of the seasons.

From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez