Where does “crystal” come from?
crystal (Middle English) comes from Catalan cristall, from Latin crystallum, from Ancient Greek κρύσταλλος, from Ancient Greek κρύος, from Proto-Indo-European krews- — to form a crust, begin to freeze.
Ancestry of “crystal”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Catalan | cristall | crystal |
| 2 | Latin | crystallum | a crystal; a thing made from crystal; a gem or... |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | κρύσταλλος | ice; rock crystal |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | κρύος | cold, chilliness; frost; ice |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | krews- | to form a crust, begin to freeze |
Words derived from “crystal”