crystalline

adjective crys·tal·line \ ˈkri-stə-lən also -ˌlīn , -ˌlēn \

Updated on: 13 Apr 2018

Definition of crystalline

1 : resembling crystal: such as

a : strikingly clear or sparkling

crystalline air

a crystalline lake

b : clear-cut

2 : made of crystal : composed of crystals

3 : constituting or relating to a crystal

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crystallinity

play \ˌkri-stə-ˈli-nə-tē\ noun

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Examples of crystalline in a Sentence

we could see fish swimming beneath the crystalline ice of the frozen lake

Recent Examples of crystalline from the Web

Together, the three have crafted a modern mini resort complete with a ten airy suites, a pool, events space, and restaurant all centered around a crystalline lake and set to open later this spring.

— christina pérez, Vogue, "Why Walla Walla, Washington Should be Your Next Wine Region Vacation," 6 Apr. 2018
Even so, Barber’s long-running tenure at the Green Mill merits attention from anyone who values uncommonly fluid vocals, crystalline pianism and singular songwriting.

— howard reich, chicagotribune.com, "From Henry Johnson to 'Tootie' Heath to Patricia Barber, a busy jazz week in Chicago," 5 Apr. 2018
The area is known for having some of the region’s most crystalline trout streams — all fed by the headwaters.

— frank kummer, Philly.com, "Group buys 500 acres of pristine Lehigh River headwaters, gives it to state," 29 Mar. 2018
Typically, anodes in lithium-ion batteries are made of graphite, which is carbon in a crystalline form.

— christopher mims, WSJ, "The Battery Boost We’ve Been Waiting for Is Only a Few Years Out," 18 Mar. 2018
Black layers had once been molten rock, injected into the sediments of those old seas, probably long after the water had been squeezed from them and their crystalline form changed.

— Longreads, "The Quest for the Collision Zone: An Arctic Expedition," 12 Mar. 2018
Delicate shiso leaves were glazed with a crystalline layer of tempura, while a tiny pot of creamy mushroom chawanmushi (egg custard) was sophisticated in its simplicity, like an adult memory of a beloved childhood dish.

— New York Times, "A Destination Restaurant in Remote Sweden Gets a Pop-Up Pairing," 10 Mar. 2018
The 60-string bandura is a zither-like instrument with a crystalline tone.

— mark rapp, cleveland.com, "Cleveland Arts listings for Jan. 12-18: Disney on Ice's "Dare to Dream: at The Q & More," 11 Jan. 2018
On a clear, bright summer morning more than two decades later, Bob inhales a great gulp of crystalline air.

— sean flynn, Smithsonian, "The Reckoning," 23 Feb. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of crystalline

Middle English cristallin, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin crystallinus, borrowed from Greek krystállinos, from krýstallos "clear ice, ¹crystal" + -inos ¹-ine

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First Known Use: 15th century

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