crest

[ krest ]

/ krɛst /

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See synonyms for: crest / crested / cresting 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.

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Origin of crest

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

OTHER WORDS FROM crest

crested, adjectivecrestless, adjectivesubcrest, nounun·crest·ed, adjective

un·der·crest, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use crest in a sentence

Family crests and nicknames are stitched into headrests, colors are specified for seat stitching, veneers are chosen for the dash.
Behind the Wheel of the Bespoke Bentley|Zoe Settle|October 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
There was no fighting; a rifle shot now and then from the crests where we saw our fellows clearly.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton
Not much use as the high crests hid the intervening hinterland from view, even from the crow's nests.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton
The crests of three tall palms immediately below him waved slightly in the rising wind.
The Wave|Algernon Blackwood

The grey dawn had broken in earnest at last, and we could see the racing waves with their angry crests of white.
Three More John Silence Stories|Algernon Blackwood
New beauties unfolded in the winding drive up over the mountain crests.
Cabin Fever|B. M. Bower

British Dictionary definitions for crest (1 of 2)

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 forms of crest

crested, adjectivecrestless, adjective

Word Origin for crest

C14: from Old French creste, from Latin crista

British Dictionary definitions for crest (2 of 2)

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

Scientific definitions for crest

crest

[ krĕst ]

The part of a wave with greatest magnitude; the highest part of a wave. Compare trough. See more at wave.

crest

Origin of crest

OTHER WORDS FROM crest

Words related to crest

How to use crest in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for crest (1 of 2)

Derived forms of crest

Word Origin for crest

British Dictionary definitions for crest (2 of 2)

Word Origin for CREST

Scientific definitions for crest