crystalline

/ˈkrɪstəlaɪn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkrɪstəlaɪn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈkri-stə-lən also -ˌlīn, -ˌlēn/ (ame, mw)

crystalline — adjective

  • crystallinepositive
  • more crystallinecomparative
  • most crystallinesuperlative

1. So clear, pure, and bright that it seems to shine like crystal.

1.形容詞C1
釋義

So clear, pure, and bright that it seems to shine like crystal.

例句

The mountain lake looked crystalline under the early morning sun.

pattern: look + crystalline

Anong's crystalline voice carried to the back of the small church.

collocation: crystalline voice

同義詞
  • clear

    The broad everyday choice; 'crystalline' adds a stronger sense of brightness and purity.

  • sparkling

    Emphasizes flashes of light and liveliness, while 'crystalline' can also describe sound or air.

  • glassy

    Focuses more on smooth, hard surface quality; 'crystalline' sounds brighter and purer.

反義詞
  • cloudy

    Describes water, air, or glass that is not clear enough to see through well.

  • dull

    Lacks the bright, shining quality suggested by 'crystalline'.

文法句型

crystalline + noun

be/look/sound + crystalline

用法筆記

Most often used for water, air, light, a voice, or writing when the effect feels strikingly pure and bright. Distinguish it from sense 2 (CRYSTAL STRUCTURE), which describes the physical make-up of a material.

常見錯誤

❌The room was crystalline after I cleaned it.
✅The room was spotless after I cleaned it.
💡'Crystalline' describes a crystal-like clarity or shine, not ordinary cleanliness.
❌The rule is crystalline.
✅The rule is very clear.
💡This sense is mainly used for things that look or sound brilliantly clear, not for everyday statements or rules.

2. Having the ordered internal pattern found in crystals, or showing the look of ma

2.形容詞C1
釋義

Having the ordered internal pattern found in crystals, or showing the look of many small crystals.

例句

Under the microscope, Sivan found crystalline grains in the dried salt.

context: microscope and crystalline grains

The cave wall was covered with a thin crystalline crust.

collocation: crystalline crust

同義詞
  • crystallized

    Often stresses that crystals have already formed through a process, while 'crystalline' can describe structure or appearance more generally.

  • crystal-like

    Focuses more on visible resemblance; 'crystalline' can also describe internal arrangement.

反義詞
  • amorphous

    Describes a material without the regular internal pattern of crystals.

  • noncrystalline

    Technical opposite used when a substance lacks crystal structure.

文法句型

crystalline + noun

be + crystalline

用法筆記

Common in science, geology, and medicine for solids, powders, deposits, and rock layers. Unlike sense 1 (CLEAR AND BRIGHT), this sense is about a material's internal arrangement or texture, not a shining visual effect.

常見錯誤

❌The soup became crystalline after cooling.
✅The sugar became crystalline after cooling.
💡Use this sense when a substance forms crystal structure, not when food merely gets cold.
❌She gave a crystalline answer.
✅She gave a crystalline sample.
💡This sense describes material form, not mental clarity or style.