crest

American  

[krest] / krɛst /

noun

1. the highest part of a hill or mountain range; summit.

2. the head or top of anything.

3. a ridge or ridgelike formation.

4. the foamy top of a wave.

5. the point of highest flood, as of a river.

6. the highest point or level; climax; culmination.

7. a tuft or other natural growth on the top of the head of an animal, as the comb of a rooster.

8. anything resembling or suggesting such a tuft.

9. the ridge of the neck of a horse, dog, etc.

10. the mane growing from this ridge.

11. an ornament or heraldic device surmounting a helmet.

12. a helmet.

13. a ridge running from front to back along the top of a helmet; comb.

14. Heraldry. a figure borne above the escutcheon in an achievement of arms, either on a helmet or by itself as a distinguishing device.

15. Anatomy. a ridge, especially on a bone.

16. a ridge or other prominence on any part of the body of an animal.

17. Architecture. a cresting.

18. Machinery. (in a screw or other threaded object) the ridge or surface farthest from the body of the object and defined by the flanks of the thread.

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verb (used with object)

1. to furnish with a crest.

2. to serve as a crest for; crown or top.

3. to reach the crest or summit of (a hill, mountain, etc.).

verb (used without object)

1. to form or rise to a crest, as a wave or river.

2. to reach the crest or highest level.

   Interest in the project has crested.

crest ¹ British  

/ krɛst /

noun

1. a tuft or growth of feathers, fur, or skin along the top of the heads of some birds, reptiles, and other animals

2. something resembling or suggesting this

3. the top, highest point, or highest stage of something

4. a ridge on the neck of a horse, dog, lion, etc

5. the mane or hair growing from this ridge

6. an ornamental piece, such as a plume, on top of a helmet

7. heraldry a symbol of a family or office, usually representing a beast or bird, borne in addition to a coat of arms and used in medieval times to decorate the helmet

8. a ridge along the top of a roof, wall, etc

9. a ridge along the surface of a bone

10. Also called: cresting.  archery identifying rings painted around an arrow shaft

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verb

1. (intr) to come or rise to a high point

2. (tr) to lie at the top of; cap

3. (tr) to go to or reach the top of (a hill, wave, etc)

CREST ² British  

/ krɛst /

noun

1. an electronic share-settlement system, created by the Bank of England and owned by 69 firms, that began operations in 1996

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crest Scientific  

/ krĕst /

1. The part of a wave with greatest magnitude; the highest part of a wave.

2. Compare trough See more at wave

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Other Word Forms

• crested adjective
• crestless adjective
• subcrest noun
• uncrested adjective
• undercrest noun

Etymology

Origin of crest

1275–1325; Middle English creste < Old French < Latin crista

Example Sentences

Both made their Test debuts on the 2022 tour of Pakistan, when Ben Stokes' side were riding the crest of a wave.

From BBC • Feb. 27, 2026

And with the polarizing and extreme response to Fennell’s “Wuthering Heights,” it seems this animosity has reached its crest.

From Salon • Feb. 23, 2026

As part of the reconstruction process, the team produced a replica of the skull and a colorful, touchable version of the curved crest.

From Science Daily • Feb. 23, 2026

Waving red flags emblazoned with the yellow and black crest of the KLA, crowds chanted the militia's name as they marched through Pristina's downtown.

From Barron's • Feb. 17, 2026

The hotel was named after England’s national soccer team, which was nicknamed the Three Lions because of the lions on the crest of King Richard the Lionheart, which they wore on their jerseys.

From "City Spies" by James Ponti

Related Words

• height
• peak
• ridge