Link Centre Dictionary

crystalline

crys·tal·line

UK/ˈkɹɪs.tə.lɪn/ US/ˈkɹɪs.təˌlaɪn/ uncommon obsolete

adjective

1.

consisting of or containing or of the nature of crystals

  • “granite is crystalline”
2.

distinctly or sharply outlined

  • “crystalline sharpness of outline” John Buchan
Similar
3.

transmitting light; able to be seen through with clarity

  • “the cold crystalline water of melted snow”
  • “crystal clear skies”
  • “could see the sand on the bottom of the limpid pool”
  • “lucid air”
  • “a pellucid brook”
  • “transparent cristal”

Origin

From Middle English cristallyn, cristallyne, from Old French cristallin and its etymon Latin crystallinus, from Ancient Greek κρυστάλλινος (krustállinos), from κρύσταλλος (krústallos, “crystal”) + -ῐνος (-ĭnos, adjectival suffix). By surface analysis, crystal + -ine.

Phrases

  • crystalline arthritis
  • crystalline humor
  • crystalline humour
  • crystalline lens

Related words

Word family

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.