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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

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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-)

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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

Among the early advances was the prediction of the crystal anomalous Hall effect, a phenomenon involving electrical transport in certain crystal structures.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 18, 2026

On a day of defiance in east Manchester, City's fans made their feelings crystal clear in their first top-flight home game since being found guilty of breaching Premier League financial rules.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

"If I had a crystal ball I would just say 'guys, get in the jacuzzi and I will see you tomorrow'."

From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026

A laser shines onto the crystal, interacting with the thorium nuclei inside.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 11, 2026

When Mom comes back with strawberries, her face is always crystal clear.

From Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff

Eze scored some spectacular goals in big moments when he was at Crystal Palace, including the winner in the FA Cup final against Manchester City in 2025.

From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026

The crack near the Moro Beach section of Crystal Cove is estimated to be 360 feet long and 2 feet wide.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026

The studio behind ‘Coraline’ creates an enchanted forest in ‘Wildwood,’ Billy Crystal opens a one-man show on Broadway, ‘Lincoln in the Bardo’ receives a stage adaptation at the Metropolitan Opera, and more.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 18, 2026

“I started thinking about this in a way that I think was separating me from the pain of what was happening,” Crystal told the outlet.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026

Crystal drops her bag on the floor and comes around the table until she’s inches away from Fuchsia.

From "The Benefits of Being an Octopus" by Ann Braden

Because this cooling process takes place underground, the minerals have time to develop into relatively large crystals.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 11, 2026

Those crystals eventually become large enough to fall as rain or snow, depending on the temperatures below.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

This approach to weather modification, now more than 80-years-old, involves using planes and drones to disperse compounds such as silver iodide into clouds to form ice crystals.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

One leading idea involves magnetite, a magnetic mineral that may form tiny crystals inside an animal's body.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 2, 2026

Kaori opened it, removed the bag, and shook out the crystals.

From "Hello, Universe" by Erin Entrada Kelly

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

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

From Sister Carrie: a Novel by Theodore Dreiser

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 Theodore Dreiser

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 Jack London

Now I ascended, or again descended the dropping and crystalled rocks; now crept into openings, which suddenly terminated, and turning again, anxiously listened to the sound of the rippling water as my only guide.

From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland Volume 13 by Various

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