Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “crystal” come from?

Crystal comes from Middle English cristalla, from Old English cristalla, from Latin crystallum, from Ancient Greek κρύσταλλος, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European krus-.

crystal (English): A solid composed of an array of atoms or...

Definitions

  1. A solid composed of an array of atoms or...

Ancestry of “crystal”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishcrystal—
2Catalancristallcrystal
3Latincrystalluma crystal; a thing made from crystal; a gem or...
4Ancient Greekκρύσταλλοςice; rock crystal
5Ancient Greekκρύοςcold, chilliness; frost; ice
6Proto-Indo-Europeankrews-to form a crust, begin to freeze

Words derived from “crystal”

  • crystallization
  • crystallize
  • crystallographic
  • crystallography
  • recrystallization
  • crystalloid
  • crystallite
  • nanocrystal
  • crystallin
  • crystallizable
  • cristal
  • crystallographically
  • polycrystal
  • recrystallize
  • crystallographer
  • crystallizer
  • quasicrystal
  • crystalluria
  • cocrystal
  • uncrystallizable
  • noncrystallographic
  • microcrystal
  • crystallographical
  • crystalloidal
Every word from Proto-Indo-European krews- →