different between crystal vs spiculum

English

Alternative forms

• crystall (obsolete)
• chrystal (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English crystal, cristal, cri?stall, from Old English cristalla (“crystal”), a borrowing from Latin crystallum (“crystal, ice”) (later reinforced from Anglo-Norman cristall and Middle French cristal, from Latin crystallum), from Ancient Greek ?????????? (krústallos, “clear ice”), from ????? (krúos, “frost”), from the Proto-Indo-European *krus-, *kru- (“hard, hard outer surface, crust”).

Pronunciation

• enPR: kr?s?t?l, IPA^(key): /?k??st?l/

Noun

crystal (countable and uncountable, plural crystals)

1. (countable) A solid composed of an array of atoms or molecules possessing long-range order and arranged in a pattern which is periodic in three dimensions.

   Synonym: grain

   Antonyms: amorphous, glass

2. (countable) A piece of glimmering, shining mineral resembling ice or glass.
3. (uncountable) A fine type of glassware, or the material used to make it.
4. (uncountable, slang) Crystal meth: methamphetamine hydrochloride.
5. The glass over the dial of a watch case.

Derived terms

Descendants

• ? Japanese: ????? (kurisutaru)

Translations

Adjective

crystal (not comparable)

1. Very clear.

   "Do I make myself clear?" / "Crystal."

References

• Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “crystal”, in Online Etymology Dictionary

English

Etymology

From Latin sp?culum (“a little sharp point”), from sp?cum, alternative form of sp?ca (“point, spike”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?sp?kj?l?m/

Noun

spiculum (plural spicula)

1. A thrusting javelin used by Romans that replaced the pilum in the late 3rd century.
2. A sharp, pointed crystal, especially of ice.
3. (zoology) A sharp, needle-like structure, especially those making up the skeleton of a sponge.
4. (astronomy) A small radial emission of gas seen in the chromosphere and corona of the sun.

Synonyms

• (sharp, pointed crystal): spicula
• (sharp, needle-like strucutre): spicule
• (small radial emission of gas): spicule

Latin

Etymology

Diminutive of sp?cum, alternative form of sp?ca (“point, spike”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /?spi?.ku.lum/, [?s?pi?k??????]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /?spi.ku.lum/, [?spi?kulum]

Noun

sp?culum n (genitive sp?cul?); second declension

1. little sharp point or sting
2. dart, arrow

Declension

Second-declension noun (neuter).

Descendants

• Catalan: espígol
• Italian: spicchio, ? spigolo
• Portuguese: espicho, ? espículo
• Spanish: espliego

References

• spiculum in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• spiculum in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• spiculum in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré Latin-Français, Hachette
• spiculum in William Smith et al., editor (1890) A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin