ice crystals

plural noun

Meteorology.

1. precipitation consisting of small, slowly falling crystals of ice.

Word History and Origins

Origin of ice crystals¹

First recorded in 1840–50

Example Sentences

Water ice is somewhere between a slushie and a sorbet, with delicate ice crystals that make it wonderfully refreshing.

From Salon

The bright yellow compound is known to latch onto water droplets that are already present in clouds, converting them into ice crystals that can fall as rain or snow, depending on the temperature below.

From Los Angeles Times

It showed Mr Peng holding on to the glider's controls, with his face and much of his body covered in ice crystals.

From BBC

The glucose prevents the water from forming cell-slashing ice crystals, lowering the temperature required for it to freeze.

From Salon

When light enters a snowflake, the complex structure of the ice crystals scatter the light into the seven colours of the rainbow.

From BBC