What does crystal mean?
Word: Crystal
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Crystal means a small piece of a solid substance that has flat sides and a regular shape, such as a grain of sugar. Very clear glass of high quality is also called crystal.
How do you spell crystal?
Syllables: crys - tal
Tricky part: The first vowel is y, not i. Many students write cristal, or swap two letters and write cyrstal.
Watch out for: cristal, cyrstal
Memory tip: A y looks like a small crystal growing out of a rock, with two arms on a stem: put that y right after the cr.
Crystal in a sentence
Example 1: Under the hand lens, each grain of sugar looked like a tiny crystal.
Example 2: Nani keeps her best crystal bowl for serving kheer on Diwali.
Example 3: We grew a blue crystal by hanging a thread in copper sulphate solution.
Fun Fact
Every snowflake is made of ice crystals, and they almost always grow with six sides or six arms because of the way water molecules fit together as they freeze.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Champ
In which option are the given words arranged in alphabetical order?
1. crush 2. crystal 3. crumb 4. cruise
a) 4321
b) 3412
c) 4132
d) 4312
Show answer
d) 4312. All four start with cr; the cru- words come first (cruise, crumb, crush by their fourth letter), and crystal follows them.
Jumble Tumble
Choose the correct sequence of the jumbled letters to form a meaningful word:
caltrys 1234567
a) 1367425
b) 1567432
c) 1567423
d) 2657413
Show answer
c) 1567423. The c is already first; r, y and s sit at 5, 6 and 7, and t, a, l finish the word from 4, 2 and 3.
Spell Probe
Find the misspelt word in the sentence and choose its meaning:
The tiny crysstal of ice on the window glittered like a star in the morning sun.
a) a sheet of glass fitted into a frame in a wall
b) the early part of the day, before noon
c) the star that gives Earth its light and heat
d) a small solid piece with a regular shape
Show answer
d) a small solid piece with a regular shape. Crystal has a single s, and here it names a tiny piece of ice.
Sound Check
In which word is 'y' pronounced differently?
a) crystal
b) symbol
c) style
d) rhythm
Show answer
c) style. In style the y says "eye"; in crystal, rhythm and symbol it is a short "i".
Multiple Choice Questions
1. The crystal that is mined and cut into sparkling gems is ___.
a) pearl
b) amber
c) coral
d) diamond
Show answer
d) diamond
2. You would find tiny crystals in ___.
a) a puff of steam
b) a cup of warm milk
c) a drop of cooking oil
d) a spoonful of salt
Show answer
d) a spoonful of salt
