crystal
UK[ˈkrɪstl]US[ˈkrɪstl]
n
A clear, transparent mineral, especially quartz, that has a regular geometric shape with flat surfaces.
n
A type of very high quality glass.
n
A small, regular piece of a substance with many flat sides.
Etymology
The word 'crystal' entered English via Old French 'cristal', which itself descended from Latin 'crystallum', meaning "ice, crystal." The Latin term was borrowed from Ancient Greek 'krýstallos', which originally and literally meant "ice" or "clear ice." The Greeks used this term for rock crystal because they believed it was a form of permanently frozen ice, a concept stemming from its brilliant transparency and coldness to the touch. This poetic association between frozen water and transparent quartz illustrates how a concrete, physical observation (ice) evolved into a term for a specific mineral and, by further extension, to any clear, brilliant glass or geometrically structured solid.
Analysis
The word 'crystal' is a simplex loanword from Latin. It does not contain separable, productive morphemes in modern English spelling.
Examples
The geologist found a perfect quartz crystal in the cave.
She drank water from a fine crystal glass.
The recipe called for a teaspoon of rock crystal sugar.