crucible

[ kroo-suh-buhl ]
See synonyms for crucible on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a container of metal or refractory material employed for heating substances to high temperatures.

  2. Metallurgy. a hollow area at the bottom of a furnace in which the metal collects.

  1. a severe, searching test or trial.

Origin of crucible

1
1400–50; late Middle English crusible, corusible<Medieval Latin crucibulum; compare Anglo-French crusil,Old French croi-suel, croisol night lamp, crucible <Gallo-Romance *croceolus (of uncertain origin), probably Latinized on the model of tūribulumthurible

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How to use crucible in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for crucible (1 of 2)

crucible

/ (ˈkruːsɪbəl) /


noun
  1. a vessel in which substances are heated to high temperatures

  2. the hearth at the bottom of a metallurgical furnace in which the metal collects

  1. a severe trial or test

Origin of crucible

1
C15 corusible, from Medieval Latin crūcibulum night lamp, crucible, of uncertain origin

British Dictionary definitions for Crucible (2 of 2)

Crucible

/ (ˈkruːsɪbəl) /


noun
  1. the Crucible a Sheffield theatre, venue of the annual world professional snooker championship

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for crucible

crucible

[ krōōsə-bəl ]


  1. A heat-resistant container used to melt ores, metals, and other materials.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.