crescent

[kres-uhnt]

noun

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.

adjective

1. shaped like a crescent.

2. increasing; growing.

crescent

/ -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

adjective

1. archaic,  increasing or growing

crescent

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

2. Compare gibbous

Other Word Forms

• crescentic adjective
• subcrescentic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of crescent¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of crescent¹

C14: from Latin crescēns increasing, from crescere to grow

Example Sentences

It was a sliver of hope, mind you, thin as the thinnest crescent moon, but sometimes a sliver is all a person needs.

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The arm positions for Mr. Louis and Ms. Chapa passingly resemble archers’ bows or crescent moons.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"We were excited to find that in our simulation, all the beach balls essentially made a trail from Sagami Bay up to right where we found the 'crescent helmet man-o-war' in the Tohoku region."

Read more on Science Daily

Immigration, perhaps, is the second biggest issue on people's minds - even though there are very few immigrants in this Derbyshire town of 20,000 people, known for its opera house and grand Georgian crescent.

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David Roberts travelled to the area this morning from Penn to go shopping for his mother, who lives on the crescent.

Read more on BBC