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 of crystalline

• 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

These may be restored heritage buildings in European capitals, villa collections overlooking crystalline waters, or—notably in 2025 and 2026—luxury lodges set in deserts, forests, and mountains. — Laura Dannen Redman, Robb Report, 23 July 2026

That’s a smile piece, too, although Ono looks all business holding a crystalline hammer on the catalog cover photo. — Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026

Quantum dots are crystalline semiconductor particles roughly 60 million times smaller than a tennis ball, typically featuring a core-shell structure. — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 20 July 2026

The dialogue, terse and contemporary, puts his distinguished cast of actors in their comfort zone and turns ancient, iridescently complex figures crystalline and hard-edged. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 15 July 2026

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

• alkaline
• andesine
• anodyne
• anticline
• arginine
• asinine
• benzidine
• borderline
• byzantine
• calamine
• caroline
• centerline

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