crystalline

adjective

crys·​tal·​line ˈkri-stə-lən How to pronounce crystalline (audio)
 also  -ˌlīn,
-ˌlēn
1
: resembling crystal: such as
a
: strikingly clear or sparkling
crystalline air
a crystalline lake
b
2
: made of crystal : composed of crystals
3
: constituting or relating to a crystal
crystallinity noun

Examples of crystalline in a Sentence

we could see fish swimming beneath the crystalline ice of the frozen lake
Recent Examples on the Web Meanwhile, his mother (Rebecca Ferguson) glugs down a liquid that has the crystalline aqua-blue of a commercial mouthwash or dental rinse. Tom Gliatto, Peoplemag, 29 Feb. 2024 This year’s top picks for the best beaches to visit range from Anse Lazio in the Seychelles, an idyllic spot with large granite boulders studding the crystalline waters to Grace Bay Beach in Turks and Caicos, where calm turquoise waters lap powdery white sand. Brittany Anas, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024 With the help of study coauthor Silke Paschen’s group at the Vienna University of Technology, the scientists grew and tested extraordinarily thin crystalline wires of YbRh2Si2. IEEE Spectrum, 4 Jan. 2024 With consistently warm temperatures, crystalline water and sunny skies, the powdered sand beaches that fringe the coastline are a main attraction. Rebekah Peppler, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Dec. 2023 Quasicrystals are exotic matter that break the rules of crystalline materials. David Bressan, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 An ambient light bar with a crystalline surface structure and LEDs with the M logo sit up front ahead of the passenger. James Raia, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2024 That notably includes the unfussy, crystalline naturalism of longtime cinematographer Eric Gautier’s images, the fluid editing, the intermittent bursts of vintage rock. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Feb. 2024 The new cell uses perovskite, a crystalline structure formed by minerals that convert sunlight into electricity. Devika Rao, theweek, 30 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'crystalline.' 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

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of crystalline was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near crystalline

Cite this Entry

“Crystalline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crystalline. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

crystalline

adjective
crys·​tal·​line ˈkris-tə-lən How to pronounce crystalline (audio)
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 noun
plural crystallinities

More from Merriam-Webster on crystalline

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