crest

[ krest ]

/ krɛst /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR crest ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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

the head or top of anything.

a ridge or ridgelike formation.

the foamy top of a wave.

the point of highest flood, as of a river.

the highest point or level; climax; culmination.

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

anything resembling or suggesting such a tuft.

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

the mane growing from this ridge.

an ornament or heraldic device surmounting a helmet.

a helmet.

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

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

Anatomy. a ridge, especially on a bone.

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

Architecture. a cresting.

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.Compare root¹(def 15a).

verb (used with object)

to furnish with a crest.

to serve as a crest for; crown or top.

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

verb (used without object)

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

to reach the crest or highest level: Interest in the project has crested.

Nearby words

Origin of crest

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

Related forms

crest·ed, adjectivecrest·less, adjectivesub·crest, nounun·crest·ed, adjective

un·der·crest, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for crest

Plus, Procter & Gamble has already removed triclosan from its Crest toothpaste.
Antibacterial Soap’s Deadly Secret|Kent Sepkowitz|May 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Internal Revenue has its own crest or coat of arms or something.
Up to a Point: I Do My Own Taxes With No Help, Except From a Couple of Bloody Marys|P. J. O’Rourke|April 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We walk among the graves of his family cemetery on the crest of the hill.
Chris Hedges and Joe Sacco Chronicle Mining Catastrophes in West Virginia|Chris Hedges, Joe Sacco|June 14, 2012|DAILY BEAST
The river may crest to record heights on Monday evening, half a day sooner than expected—but the mayor says the city is prepared.
Mississippi River Floods: Photos, Videos, and Tweets|Brian Ries|May 6, 2011|DAILY BEAST

Wearing a dapper three-piece suit with an England crest on the gray jacket, Beckham was seen chuckling in the dugout.
World Cup Primer|Joshua Robinson|June 12, 2010|DAILY BEAST
The upper path returns to the road along the crest of the bank, and a few steps brings the tourist to Fort Clinton.
Guide to West Point, and the U.S. Military Academy|Various
At a distance of about two miles from our camp was the crest of a low swell in the Plains.
Life and Adventures of 'Billy' Dixon|Billy Dixon
All around us I saw deep beds of snow, but nowhere such blocks of ice as M. Deser found upon the crest of the Jungfrau.
Celebrated Women Travellers of the Nineteenth Century|W. H. Davenport Adams
As he spoke, he and Roly were approaching the crest of a low hill.
Gold-Seeking on the Dalton Trail|Arthur R. Thompson
At the top of the sheet the crest (if the family of the bride has the right to use one) is embossed without color.
Etiquette|Emily Post

British Dictionary definitions for crest

crest

/ (krɛst) /

noun

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

something resembling or suggesting this

the top, highest point, or highest stage of something

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

the mane or hair growing from this ridge

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

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

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

a ridge along the surface of a bone

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

verb

(intr) to come or rise to a high point

(tr) to lie at the top of; cap

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

Derived Formscrested, adjectivecrestless, adjective

Word Origin for crest

C14: from Old French creste, from Latin crista

CREST

/ (krɛst) /

noun

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

Word Origin for CREST

C20: from CrestCo, the name of the operating company

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

Word Origin and History for crest

crest

early 14c., from Old French creste "tuft, comb" (Modern French crête), from Latin crista "tuft, plume," perhaps related to word for "hair" (e.g. crinis), but it also was used for crest of a cock or a helmet. Replaced Old English hris.

crest

late 14c., "provide with a crest," from Old French crester, from creste (see crest (n.)). Meaning "to come over the top of" is from 1832. Related: Crested; cresting.