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• crystal
  crystal

  noun

  a clear, transparent mineral or glass resembling ice.
• Crystal
  Crystal

  noun

  a city in SE Minnesota, near Minneapolis.

crystal

¹ American  

[kris-tl] / ˈkrɪs tl /

noun

crystals plural

1. a clear, transparent mineral or glass resembling ice.

2. the transparent form of crystallized quartz.

3. Chemistry, Mineralogy. a solid body having a characteristic internal structure and enclosed by symmetrically arranged plane surfaces, intersecting at definite and characteristic angles.

4. anything made of or resembling such a substance.

5. a single grain or mass of a crystalline substance.

6. glass of fine quality and a high degree of brilliance.

7. articles, especially glassware for the table and ornamental objects, made of such a glass.

8. the glass or plastic cover over the face of a watch.

9. Radio.

   1. the piece of germanium, silicon, galena, or the like forming the essential part of a crystal detector.

   2. the crystal detector itself.

10. Electronics. a quartz crystal ground in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, which vibrates strongly at one frequency when electric voltages of that frequency are placed across opposite sides: used to control the frequency of an oscillator crystal oscillator, as of a radio transmitter.

11. Slang. any stimulant drug in powder form, as methamphetamine or PCP.

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adjective

1. composed of crystal.

2. resembling crystal; clear; transparent.

3. Radio. pertaining to or employing a crystal detector.

4. indicating the fifteenth event of a series, as a wedding anniversary.

verb (used with object)

crystaled, crystaling, crystalled, crystalling

1. to make into crystal; crystallize.

2. to cover or coat with, or as if with, crystal (usually followed byover ).

Crystal ² American  

[kris-tl] / ˈkrɪs tl /

noun

1. a city in SE Minnesota, near Minneapolis.

2. a female given name.

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crystal British  

/ ˈkrɪstəl /

noun

1. a piece of solid substance, such as quartz, with a regular shape in which plane faces intersect at definite angles, due to the regular internal structure of its atoms, ions, or molecules

2. a single grain of a crystalline substance

3. anything resembling a crystal, such as a piece of cut glass

4. 1. a highly transparent and brilliant type of glass, often used in cut-glass tableware, ornaments, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      a crystal chandelier

5. something made of or resembling crystal

6. crystal glass articles collectively

7. electronics

   1. a crystalline element used in certain electronic devices as a detector, oscillator, transducer, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      crystal pick-up

      crystal detector

8. a transparent cover for the face of a watch, usually of glass or plastic

9. (modifier) of or relating to a crystal or the regular atomic arrangement of crystals

   crystal structure

   crystal lattice

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adjective

1. resembling crystal; transparent

   crystal water

crystal Scientific  

/ krĭs′təl /

1. A homogenous solid formed by a repeating, three-dimensional pattern of atoms, ions, or molecules and having smooth external surfaces with characteristic angles between them. Crystals can occur in many sizes and shapes.

2. ◆ The particular arrangement in space of these atoms, molecules, or ions, and the way in which they are joined, is called a crystal lattice. There are seven crystal groups or systems. Each is defined on the basis of the geometrical arrangement of the crystal lattice.

3. 1. A natural or synthetic material, such as quartz or ceramic, that consists of such crystals. When subjected to mechanical stresses, crystalline materials can generate an electric charge or, when subjected to an electric field, they can generate mechanical vibrations in what is known as the piezoelectric effect.

   2. An electrical device, such as an oscillator or a diode used for detecting radio signals, made of such a material.

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crystal Cultural  

1. A material in which the atoms are arranged in a rigid geometrical structure (see geometry) marked by symmetry. Crystals often have clearly visible geometrical shapes.

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Discover More

Most minerals are crystalline structures.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• crystallike
  adjective
• uncrystaled
  adjective
• uncrystalled
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• crystals
  plural

Etymology

Origin of crystal

First recorded before 1000; Middle English cristal(le), Old English cristalla, from Medieval Latin cristallum, Latin crystallum, from Greek krýstallos “clear ice, rock crystal,” derivative of krystaínein “to freeze”; akin to krȳmós “frost, cold” ( see crymotherapy), krýos “cold, frost” ( see cryo-)

Explanation

Various solid substances that glitter because their surfaces are made up of planes that catch the light are called crystals. If you leave your ice cream in the freezer too long, you may find a coating of ice crystals on top. Some people think that certain natural crystals — quartz, for instance — have mystical properties and if you wear them or hold them, they cure whatever’s wrong with you. Crystal is also the word for transparent glass made of silica, and it's also a name for fine glassware — the kind that reverberates with a nice ping when you flick your fingernail against it. Another kind of crystal is the glass cover that protects the face of your watch.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

crystal Crystal crystals crystaled crystalled

I always end up picking up a crystal too.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

What makes you think you have a better crystal ball than full-time traders with collectively trillions of dollars at stake?

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026

"She separated the three crystal types, which themselves differed in transparency, symmetry, and luster, from all the pebbles. This ability to recognize crystals despite their differences amazed us," García-Ruiz said.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 15, 2026

"It's crystal clear: The language of the act provides the president power to create national monuments," Thomas Delehanty, a lawyer for Earthjustice, told AFP.

From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 2026

In their crystal ball, Seven swore she could see two glowing red eyes.

From "Witchlings" by Claribel A. Ortega

On its website, however, Crystal River still is providing information on the Step Up scholarship for parents while inviting students to enroll for next school year.

From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026

Her post included a mug shot of the now-leader of the Crystal River school in an orange jumpsuit.

From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026

The Blues are also expected to complete a £52m move for Crystal Palace defender Lacroix, 26, to add further Premier League-ready experience.

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

Chelsea are also in talks to sign Crystal Palace defender Maxence Lacroix while assessing other options in the market, including Como's Jacobo Ramon.

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026

Crystal chandeliers hung by the dozens from the high ceilings.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

Nearby, a handmade chandelier by artist Helen Stickler, decorated with vintage Swarovski crystals and beads, adds to what Weger describes as her “Candyland vibe.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026

Bring on the crystals and woo-woo singing bowls.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026

To investigate whether an attraction to crystals might be one of them, researchers gave two groups of enculturated chimpanzees at the Rainfer Foundation access to crystals.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 15, 2026

The animals continued examining the crystals for hours.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 15, 2026

But when he picked up his heel, he saw that the carpet was covered with yellow crystals.

From "I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912" by Lauren Tarshis

A shining god raised me, and bade my fears Be flown, and I beheld the glorious throne Of crystaled light; with rays by man unknown.

From Babylonian and Assyrian Literature by Anonymous

“The house was crystalled out,” she told Vogue, but she didn’t want visitors to think she was a “crystal person”.

From The Guardian ● Jun. 16, 2019

Then two drops of crystalled dew From the hyacinth’s deep hue, Brought she for thine eyes of blue; And lest they should miss the sun, Bade thy soul to shine thereon.

From Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine, March 1844 Volume 23, Number 3 by Clark, Lewis Gaylord

She imagined that across these richly carved entrance-ways, where the globed and crystalled lamps shone upon paneled doors set with stained and designed panes of glass, was neither care nor unsatisfied desire.

From Sister Carrie by Dreiser, Theodore

Her eyes, her color, her smiles were radiance itself; her mobile lips curved over teeth as white and gleaming as crystalled snow.

From Laramie; or, The Queen of Bedlam. by King, Charles

The frozen moisture of its breathing had settled on its fur in a fine powder of frost, and especially were its jowls, muzzle, and eyelashes whitened by its crystalled breath. 

From Lost Face by London, Jack