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

• clear
• crystal
• crystal clear
• limpid
• liquid
• lucent
• pellucid
• see-through
• transparent

Examples of crystalline in a Sentence

we could see fish swimming beneath the crystalline ice of the frozen lake

Recent Examples on the Web

This idyllic south coast stretch features bright white sand that meets crystalline waters, against the backdrop of the majestic Morne Mountain, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. —Rooksana Hossenally, Forbes, 19 Oct. 2024

Amorphous silicon dioxide commonly occurs in foods and supplements, while crystalline silicon dioxide is generally found in industrial settings. —Brittany Lubeck, Ms, Rdn, Verywell Health, 19 Sep. 2024

Joaquin Phoenix, reprising his Oscar-winning performance from the controversial 2019 movie, croaks his way through a selection of standards in a voice that may remind you of the late Joe Cocker or the sound of glass being churned into little crystalline bits in the garbage disposal. —Tom Gliatto, People.com, 3 Oct. 2024

On the ground around Tubac, between Tucson and Nogales, there’s a healthy cottonwood forest watered by a slender ribbon of crystalline water. —Shaun McKinnon, The Arizona Republic, 30 Sep. 2024

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

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