ice crystals

American

plural noun

Meteorology.

precipitation consisting of small, slowly falling crystals of ice.

Etymology

Origin of ice crystals

First recorded in 1840–50

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Like those found in Arctic fish, these proteins attach to ice crystals and prevent them from growing.

From Science Daily

The temperature was perhaps ten below, with a bright sun that shone through ice crystals in the air so that everything seemed to sparkle.

From Literature

Previous research has also shown that impurities weaken the structure of ice crystals, making them less stable than pure ice.

From Science Daily

Traces of water or humidity freeze into ice crystals that can scratch pumps and create blockages.

From The Wall Street Journal

Light from the Moon passes through the ice crystals where it bends and reflects creating the ring effect.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023