crest

¹crest

noun \ˈkrest\

Definition of CREST

1

a : a showy tuft or process on the head of an animal and especially a bird — see bird illustration b : the plume or identifying emblem worn on a knight's helmet; also : the top of a helmet c (1) : a heraldic representation of the crest (2) : a heraldic device depicted above the escutcheon but not upon a helmet (3) : coat of arms 2a d : a ridge or prominence on a part of an animal body

2

: something suggesting a crest especially in being an upper prominence, edge, or limit: as a : peak; especially : the top line of a mountain or hill b : the ridge of a roof c : the top of a wave

3

a : a high point of an action or process and especially of one that is rhythmic b : climax, culmination <at the crest of his fame>

— crest·al \ˈkres-t^əl\ adjective

— crest·less \-ləs\ adjective

Examples of CREST

1. <at that point the filmmaker was at the crest of his critical acclaim, which included winning an Oscar>
2. <the hiking party reached the crest of the mountain just as it began to thunder>

Origin of CREST

Middle English creste, from Anglo-French, from Latin crista; probably akin to Latin crinis hair

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to CREST

Synonyms: acme, apex, apogee, capstone, climax, crescendo, height, crown, culmination, head, high noon, high tide, high-water mark, meridian, ne plus ultra, noon, noontime, peak, pinnacle, sum, summit, tip-top, top, zenith

Antonyms: bottom, nadir, rock bottom

Related Words: bloom, blossom, flood tide, flower, glory, heyday, prime; cap, ceiling, roof; extreme, extremity, tip, vertex; high, highlight, highspot

Near Antonyms: abyss, base, foot; minimum

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Other Heraldry Terms

blazon, cachet, couchant, dormant, escutcheon, potent, standard, totem

Rhymes with CREST

best, breast, Brest, chest, gest, geste, guest, hest, jessed, jest, lest, nest, pest, quest, rest, test, tressed, vest, west, wrest, zest