n.
Pronunciation: ' kr ā -t ə r
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin, mixing bowl, crater, from Greek krat ē r, from kerannynai to mix; akin to Sanskrit ś r ī ṇ ā ti he mixes
Date: 1613
1 a : the bowl-shaped depression around the orifice of a volcano b : a depression formed by an impact (as of a meteorite) c : a hole in the ground made by the explosion of a bomb or shell
2 : an eroded lesion
3 : a dimple in a painted surface
– cra · ter · like \ ' kr ā -t ə r- ˌ l ī k \ adjective