crystalline

adjective

crys·​tal·​line ˈkri-stə-lən How to pronounce crystalline (audio)
also -ˌlīn
-ˌlēn
Synonyms of crystallinenext
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Its endless flow recycles a crystalline and immaculate sheet of waste. Theo Belci, Artforum, 1 Feb. 2026 With nearly 300 days of sunshine a year, white-sand beaches, and crystalline water, Bonita Springs has all the ingredients for a perfect beach vacation. Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 25 Jan. 2026 Different arrangements of these hydrogen bonds can shape ice’s crystalline structure into various configurations, from a hexagonal prism to a cubic lattice to less familiar lattice systems such as rhombohedral and tetragonal. Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 23 Jan. 2026 Spread over a sprawling 42 hectares, despite its infancy, the island is lush and verdant, and fringed by a sugary golden beach and lapped by the gentle waters of a crystalline lagoon. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for crystalline

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Crystalline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crystalline. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.

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

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