crescent

noun cres·cent \ ˈkre-sᵊnt \

|Updated on: 16 Jun 2018

Definition of crescent

1 a : the moon at any stage between new moon and first quarter and between last quarter and the succeeding new moon when less than half of the illuminated hemisphere is visible

b : the figure of the moon at such a stage defined by a convex (see convex 1a) and a concave (see ¹concave 2) edge

2 : something shaped like a crescent

The crescent is used as the symbol of Islam.

—

crescentic

play \kre-ˈsen-tik, krə-\ adjective

See crescent defined for English-language learners

See crescent defined for kids

crescent was our Word of the Day on 06/26/2009. Hear the podcast!

Recent Examples of crescent from the Web

In Urumqi the remaining mosques have had their minarets knocked down and their Islamic crescents torn off.

— The Economist, "China has turned Xinjiang into a police state like no other," 31 May 2018
Cash flowed into Iran unchecked, eventually funding the terrorists of Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis and supporting the quest for an extremist Shiite crescent from the Persian Gulf to Syria’s Mediterranean coast.

— danny danon, WSJ, "Israel and Its Neighbors Need an Iran Deal Overhaul," 30 Apr. 2018
Sandstone cliffs and natural bridges carved from the rock on one side, an enormous crescent of beach on the other.

— Popular Mechanics, "55 Things to Do Before the World Ends," 19 Apr. 2018
Many are adorned with geometric patterns or the crescent-and-star symbol of Islam.

— The Economist, "Mohamed Salah, a footballer, has given Egyptians something to cheer," 26 May 2018
Each bill that Granny burned was cut with a beautiful crescent-moon design.

— lu yang, The New Yorker, "Silver Tiger," 4 June 2017
Thomas Conway open house Explore the crescent moon at the Thomas Conway Observatory as the Calumet Astronomical Society hosts an open house from 8:30-10:30 p.m Saturday at 19160 Chase St., Lowell.

— staff report, Post-Tribune, "Community news," 15 May 2018
Ramadan begins during the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar when the new crescent moon is first sighted.

— kamakshi ayyar, Time, "Your Complete Guide to Ramadan, Including the Proper Greeting and When It Starts," 15 May 2018
For Christmas, my mom always makes thumbprint cookies with raspberry jelly and Hungarian crescent cookies with guava jelly.

— audrey bruno, SELF, "I Add Jam to Tons of Recipes, and You Should, Too," 11 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'crescent.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of crescent

Middle English cressant, from Anglo-French, from present participle of crestre to grow, increase, from Latin crescere; akin to Old High German hirsi millet, Lithuanian šerti to feed, Greek koros boy

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

Other Astronomy Terms

gibbous, nadir, nebulous, penumbra, retrograde, sidereal, syzygy, wane, wax, zenith

crescent

adjective

Definition of crescent

: marked by an increase : increasing

"My powers are crescent … "
—William Shakespeare

Did You Know?

You probably know "crescent" as the shape of a moon that is less than half-illuminated. These days, "crescent" is generally used of either a waxing or waning moon, but that wasn't always the case. Originally, it referred only to the increasing illumination phase that immediately follows the new moon. That original meaning nicely reflects the meaning of the word's Latin ancestor crescere, which means "to grow." The meaning of "crescere" also shines through when we use "crescent" as an adjective meaning "increasing" or "growing." English speakers have been using "crescent" in this way since the 16th century.

Origin and Etymology of crescent

Latin crescent-, crescens, present participle of crescere — see ¹crescent

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1574

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

Crescent

trademark Cres·cent \ ˈkre-sᵊnt \

Definition of Crescent

—used for an adjustable open-end wrench

CRESCENT Defined for English Language Learners

crescent

noun

Definition of crescent for English Language Learners

: the shape of the visible part of the moon when it is less than half full
: a shape that is curved, wide at its center, and pointed at its two ends like a crescent moon

CRESCENT Defined for Kids

crescent

noun cres·cent \ ˈkre-sᵊnt \

Definition of crescent for Students

1 : the shape of the visible part of the moon when it is less than half full

2 : something shaped like a crescent moon

crescent

adjective

Definition of crescent for Students

: shaped like the crescent moon

crescent rolls

Medical Dictionary

crescent

noun cres·cent \ ˈkres-ᵊnt \

medical Definition of crescent

1 : a crescent-shaped anatomical structure or section

2 : the gametocyte of the falciparum malaria parasite that is shaped like a crescent and constitutes a distinguishing character of malignant tertian malaria