a clear, transparent mineral or glass resembling ice.
the transparent form of crystallized quartz.
Chemistry, Mineralogy. a solid body having a characteristic internal structure and enclosed by symmetrically arranged plane surfaces, intersecting at definite and characteristic angles.
anything made of or resembling such a substance.
a single grain or mass of a crystalline substance.
glass of fine quality and a high degree of brilliance.
articles, especially glassware for the table and ornamental objects, made of such a glass.
the glass or plastic cover over the face of a watch.
Radio.
the piece of germanium, silicon, galena, or the like forming the essential part of a crystal detector.
the crystal detector itself.
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.
Slang. any stimulant drug in powder form, as methamphetamine or PCP.
adjective
composed of crystal.
resembling crystal; clear; transparent.
Radio. pertaining to or employing a crystal detector.
indicating the fifteenth event of a series, as a wedding anniversary.
verb (used with object),crys·taled,crys·tal·ing or (especially British) crys·talled,crys·tal·ling.
to make into crystal; crystallize.
to cover or coat with, or as if with, crystal (usually followed by over).
Origin of crystal
before 1000; Middle English cristal(le), Old English cristalla<Medieval Latin cristallum,Latin crystallum<Greek krýstallos clear ice, rock crystal, derivative of krystaínein to freeze; see cryo-
This more basic environment causes little crystals of calcium carbonate to form.
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At the bottom, I calculated the mean — the average crystal growth — for each group.
Rock Candy Science 2: No such thing as too much sugar|Bethany Brookshire|April 30, 2020|Science News For Students
That will tell you how many grams of sugar crystals had grown.
Rock Candy Science 2: No such thing as too much sugar|Bethany Brookshire|April 30, 2020|Science News For Students
Crystal is a onetime member of the Avengers, and in various storylines is also married to Quicksilver.
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Hers is a particular brand of essay: writing at its most crystal clear, subject matter at its most slippery and interesting.
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The two crystal ball gazers have been engaged in a running battle on Twitter, on their own websites, and in the media at large.
Why Is Nate Silver So Afraid of Sam Wang?|Daniel Altman|October 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The table was set with the Cavendish silver and crystal and various sumptuous-looking bottles from the wine cellar.
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Crystal recalled a time where Williams attended a baseball game with him, despite not having a clue about baseball.
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And upon those rocks of crystal grow the good diamonds that be of trouble colour.
The Travels of Sir John Mandeville|John Mandeville
Only, the desire must be ardent as a flame, in a soul pure as crystal.
The Way of Initiation|Rudolf Steiner
There was a crystal jug filled with cold water and sunshine, and it threw a wavering light on the damask.
The Sea and the Jungle|H. M. Tomlinson
The king rushed to the crystal ball, looked all the world over; but no princess!
Prince Ricardo of Pantouflia|Andrew Lang
These groups, or similar ones, are now to be seen in the Crystal Palace at Sydenham.
Practical Taxidermy|Montagu Browne
British Dictionary definitions for crystal
crystal
/ (ˈkrɪstəl) /
noun
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
a single grain of a crystalline substance
anything resembling a crystal, such as a piece of cut glass
a highly transparent and brilliant type of glass, often used in cut-glass tableware, ornaments, etc
(as modifier)a crystal chandelier
something made of or resembling crystal
crystal glass articles collectively
electronics
a crystalline element used in certain electronic devices as a detector, oscillator, transducer, etc
(as modifier)crystal pick-up; crystal detector
a transparent cover for the face of a watch, usually of glass or plastic
(modifier)of or relating to a crystal or the regular atomic arrangement of crystalscrystal structure; crystal lattice
adjective
resembling crystal; transparentcrystal water
Word Origin for crystal
Old English cristalla, from Latin crystallum, from Greek krustallos ice, crystal, from krustainein to freeze
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.
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.♦ 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.
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.
An electrical device, such as an oscillator or a diode used for detecting radio signals, made of such a material.