— crystallike , adj.
/kris"tl/ , n., adj., v., crystaled, crystaling or ( esp. Brit. ) crystalled, crystalling .
n.
1. a clear, transparent mineral or glass resembling ice.
2. the transparent form of crystallized quartz.
3. Chem. , Mineral. a solid body having a characteristic internal structure and enclosed by symmetrically arranged plane surfaces, intersecting at definite and characteristic angles.
4. anything made of or resembling such a substance.
5. a single grain or mass of a crystalline substance.
6. glass of fine quality and a high degree of brilliance.
7. articles, esp. glassware for the table and ornamental objects, made of such a glass.
8. the glass or plastic cover over the face of a watch.
9. Radio.
a. the piece of germanium, silicon, galena, or the like forming the essential part of a crystal detector.
b. the crystal detector itself.
10. Electronics. a quartz crystal ground in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, which vibrates strongly at one frequency when electric voltages of that frequency are placed across opposite sides: used to control the frequency of an oscillator (crystal oscillator) , as of a radio transmitter.
11. Slang. any stimulant drug in powder form, as methamphetamine or PCP.
adj.
12. composed of crystal.
13. resembling crystal; clear; transparent.
14. Radio. pertaining to or employing a crystal detector.
15. indicating the fifteenth event of a series, as a wedding anniversary. See table under wedding anniversary .
v.t.
16. to make into crystal; crystallize.
17. to cover or coat with, or as if with, crystal (usually fol. by over ).
[ bef. 1000; ME cristal ( le ), OE cristalla cristallum, L crystallum krýstallos clear ice, rock crystal, deriv. of krystaínein to freeze; see CRYO- ]