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crystallize

crys·tal·lize

UK/ˈkɹɪstəlaɪz/ US/ˈkrɪstʌˌlaɪz/ fairly common

verb

1.

cause to take on a definite and clear shape

  • “He tried to crystallize his thoughts”
Synonyms
2.

make free from confusion or ambiguity; make clear

  • “Could you clarify these remarks?”
  • “Clear up the question of who is at fault”
Synonyms
3.

cause to form crystals or assume crystalline form

  • “crystallize minerals”
Synonyms
4.

Origin

From crystal + -ize. The double l reflects the classical stem found in its etyma, Latin crystallus and Ancient Greek κρύσταλλος (krústallos), rather than the simplified spelling of the English base noun. Compare Hellenistic Greek κρυσταλλίζειν (krustallízein, “to shine like crystal”), post‐classical Latin crystallizare (“to change into crystal”), and French cristalliser.

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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.