crystalline

adjective

crys·​tal·​line ˈkri-stə-lən 

 also  -ˌlīn,

-ˌlēn

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

crystallinity

ˌkri-stə-ˈli-nə-tē 

noun

Synonyms

• crystal
• transparent
• liquid
• clear

Examples of crystalline in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

In the new study, however, the researchers found evidence of crystalline ice both at depth but also on the surface of Europa, in particular in an area known as Tara Regio. —Ian Randall, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 May 2025

But this viewer walked away after a few episodes with a crystalline sense of who the Pauls were. —Daniel D'addario, Variety, 1 June 2025

Scientists previously believed that Europa’s surface was entirely covered by a thin layer of amorphous ice, and that below this was crystalline ice (the form that most ice on Earth takes). —Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 29 May 2025

The eye lens is made up of crystalline proteins that must remain organized to remain transparent. —Sanket Jain, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing crystalline

• crystalline lens

Rhymes for crystalline

• acridine
• alkaline
• andesine
• anodyne
• anticline
• arginine
• asinine
• atropine
• benzidine
• borderline
• byzantine
• calamine

Kids Definition

crystalline

adjective

crys·​tal·​line ˈkris-tə-lən 

1

: clear or sparkling like crystal

crystalline drops of honey

2

: made of crystal or crystals

3

: of or relating to a crystal

Medical Definition

crystalline

adjective

crys·​tal·​line

ˈkris-tə-lən also -ˌlīn, -ˌlēn

1

: composed of or resembling crystals

2

a

: formed by crystallization : having regular arrangement of the atoms in a space lattice see amorphous sense 2

b

: having the internal structure though not necessarily the external form of a crystal

granite is only crystalline, while quartz crystal is perfectly crystallized

crystallinity

ˌkris-tə-ˈlin-ət-ē 

noun

plural crystallinities