Variant: also crys · tal · ize
Pronunciation: ' kris-t ə - ˌ l ī z
Function: verb
Inflected Form: -lized ; -liz · ing
Date: 1598
transitive verb
1 : to cause to form crystals or assume crystalline form
2 : to cause to take a definite form <tried to crystallize his thoughts>
3 : to coat with crystals especially of sugar < crystallize grapes>
intransitive verb : to become crystallized
– crys · tal · liz · able \ - ˌ l ī -z ə -b ə l, ˌ kris-t ə - ' \ adjective
– crys · tal · li · za · tion \ ˌ kris-t ə -li- ' z ā -sh ə n \ noun
– crys · tal · liz · er noun