crystallize
verb
Simple meaning
To give a definite or precise form to.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
kristuhlyzSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈkɹɪstəlaɪz
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
verb
transitive
To give a definite or precise form to (something).
Cause to take on a definite and clear shape
“He tried to crystallize his thoughts.”
Cause to form crystals or assume crystalline form
transitivechemistryphysics
To make something form into crystals.
intransitive
To take a definite form.
transitive
To coat something with crystals, especially with sugar.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- C2 · Proficient (estimated)
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: Cause to take on a definite and clear shape
Used this way, crystallize is a common word with a clearly warm, approving pull. It quietly approves while staying precise.
“He tried to crystallize his thoughts.”
- Emotional tone
- Positive
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Gentle
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- Clear and precise
- Usage feel
- Precise and approving
Nearby words
- crystalize , rarer, so it draws attention
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use crystallize
- “He tried to crystallize his thoughts.”verb
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
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Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Inflected forms
Grammatical variations of the same word.
Having become fixed and definite in form.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
Fruit cooked in sugar syrup and encrusted with a sugar crystals.
Strips of gingerroot cooked in sugar syrup and coated with sugar.
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: to give a definite or precise form to (something)
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.