crystal

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“
He believed that the crystal was the model for all kinds of representation.

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Definitions (66)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (11)

  1. noun A homogenous solid formed by a repeating, three-dimensional pattern of atoms, ions, or molecules and having fixed distances between constituent parts.
  2. noun The unit cell of such a pattern.
  3. noun A mineral, especially a transparent form of quartz, having a crystalline structure, often characterized by external planar faces.
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Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (47)

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Examples (50)

  • He believed that the crystal was the model for all kinds of representation. —  Margaret Wertheim on the beautiful math of coral
  • ; With that they plucked the lieutenant up and retreated through the door Laquatus tried to follow, but the crystal was already too close to the wall. —  VANCE MOORE
  • In a vacuum, however, this does not happen, and significant electric fields can be produced by the pyroelectric process as the crystal is heated. —  AnalogSFF,October2007
  • Another commercial has a dumb office worker with a glass snow globe, which he calls his crystal ball. —  Touchstone Magazine - Mere Comments
  • August 23 - September 22 Moon Crystal: OkeniteIntuition Crystal: Kyanite Your moon crystal is a very special crystal, as most stones and crystals are to be worn or held to receive their ... —  We Blog A Lot
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Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English cristal, from Old French, from Latin crystallum, from Greek krustallos, ice, crystal; see kreus- in Indo-European roots.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. Formerly cristal, also often erroneously chrystal, christal, etc., now accommodation to L. spelling; from Middle English cristal, cristall, from Old French cristal, French cristal = Provencal Spanish cristal = Portuguese crystal = Italian cristallo = Anglo-Saxon cristalla = Dutch kristal = Old High German christallā, Middle High German kristalle, feminine, kristall, masculine, German krystall, kristall, masculine, = Danish krystal = Swedish kristall, from Latin crystallum, ice, crystal, from Greek κρύσταλλος, clear ice, ice, also rockcrystal (so called from its resemblance to ice, of which it was supposed to be a modified and permanent form), from κρυσταίνειν, freeze, from κρύος, cold, frost.
 

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/ˈkrɪstəl/
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