crystallite

noun

crys·​tal·​lite ˈkri-stə-ˌlīt How to pronounce crystallite (audio)
1
a
: a minute mineral form (as in glassy volcanic rocks) that marks the beginning of crystallization
b
: a single grain in a polycrystalline substance
2

Examples of crystallite in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web That’s because electrical charges moving through the material got stuck at the boundaries between the myriad crystallites making up the material. Robert F. Service, Science | AAAS, 4 June 2019 At this level of magnification, the researchers were able to discern novel details about the building blocks of our bodily framework: our bones, which comprise mineral crystallites and spiraling strands of the protein collagen called fibrils. Angus Chen, Scientific American, 3 May 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'crystallite.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French cristallite, from cristal crystal entry 1 + -ite -ite entry 1

First Known Use

1871, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of crystallite was in 1871

Dictionary Entries Near crystallite

Cite this Entry

“Crystallite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crystallite. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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