crystalline

[kris-tl-in, -ahyn, -een]

adjective

1. of or like crystal; clear; transparent.

2. formed by crystallization.

3. composed of crystals.

4. pertaining to crystals or their formation.

crystalline

/ ˈkrɪstəˌlaɪn, ˌkrɪstəˈlɪnɪtɪ /

adjective

1. having the characteristics or structure of crystals

2. consisting of or containing crystals

3. made of or like crystal; transparent; clear

Other Word Forms

• crystallinity noun
• multicrystalline adjective
• noncrystalline adjective
• precrystalline adjective
• pseudocrystalline adjective
• subcrystalline adjective
• uncrystalline adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of crystalline¹

1350–1400; Middle English cristal ( l ) yn ( e ) < Latin crystallinus < Greek krystállinos. See crystal, -ine ¹

Example Sentences

There’s another fiddle, there’s pedal steel, there’s a crystalline piano line winding its way through the depths.

From Salon

The songs on this trendsetting fourth album are amorphous and crystalline, obsessed with finding beauty in the most faraway corners.

From Los Angeles Times

It is known for its crystalline bell-like tone and has been Kashmir's musical signature for centuries.

From BBC

It’s nutty and crystalline, aged for years in northern Italy and legally protected from imitation, down to the cows’ diet and the wheels’ signature rind stamp.

From Salon

The star might be 79 years old, but his voice is still unusually supple and youthful, cutting through the night with crystalline clarity, and buoyed by The Chrome Hearts' close-knit harmonies.

From BBC

Related Words

• lucid 
• sparkling 
• translucent