Meaning & use
crystalline
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Meanings
adjectivenot comparabletechnical
Having a regular internal structure like a crystal, or made of crystals.
Grammar: Not usually used with 'more' or 'most'; it describes a fixed quality.
Patterns
- crystalline structure
- crystalline solid
- crystalline material
The geologist studied the crystalline structure of the mineral.
Quartz is a crystalline solid with a repeating pattern.
Under the microscope, the crystalline arrangement was clear.
adjectivecomparableliterary
Extremely clear and bright, like a crystal.
Grammar: Can be used with 'more' or 'most' to compare clarity.
Patterns
- crystalline water
- crystalline sky
- crystalline clarity
We swam in the crystalline waters of the lake.
The sky was a crystalline blue after the storm.
Her voice had a crystalline purity that filled the hall.
adjectivecomparablefigurative
Very clear and easy to understand, especially in thought or expression.
Grammar: Often used to describe writing, logic, or ideas.
Patterns
- crystalline prose
- crystalline logic
- crystalline thought
The philosopher's argument was crystalline and impossible to misunderstand.
Her crystalline prose makes the complex topic accessible.
He admired the crystalline clarity of her reasoning.
Word forms
| comparative | more crystalline |
|---|---|
| superlative | most crystalline |
Common combinations
- crystalline structure
- The crystalline structure determines the mineral's properties.
- crystalline water
- The crystalline water reflected the mountains perfectly.
- crystalline clarity
- The essay was praised for its crystalline clarity.
- crystalline solid
- Salt is a common crystalline solid.
Synonyms and how they differ
- clear
- Clear is a general word for transparency; crystalline suggests a special, almost gem-like clarity.
- transparent
- Transparent means light passes through; crystalline often adds a sense of regular structure or brilliance.
- lucid
- Lucid is used for clear thinking or writing, but not for physical materials.
Opposites
Word family
- crystal noun
- A solid with a regular internal pattern, or a clear mineral.
- crystallize verb
- To form crystals, or to make something clear and definite.
- crystallization noun
- The process of forming crystals or becoming clear.
Commonly confused: crystalline or crystal?
crystalline vs crystal
'Crystal' is a noun (a clear mineral or glass), while 'crystalline' is an adjective describing something that has crystal-like structure or clarity.
Practice
The lake was so _____ that we could see the fish swimming at the bottom.
Choose one answer.
'Crystalline' is the adjective meaning extremely clear, which fits before the noun 'lake'. 'Crystal' is a noun, 'crystallize' is a verb, and 'crystallization' is a noun, so they do not fit grammatically.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “crystalline”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.