CRYSTAL is a solid material with atoms arranged in a highly ordered, repeating pattern, often transparent and used in jewelry, electronics, and spiritual practices.
Yes. CRYSTAL is in the Scrabble-style word list used by our tools and scores 12 points in Scrabble, 13 in Words With Friends and 13 in Wordfeud (base tile values, no board multipliers). Always check the dictionary your game uses (NWL, Collins or the WWF list) before playing.
| Letter | C | R | Y | S | T | A | L | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scrabble | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 12 |
| Words With Friends | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 13 |
| Wordfeud | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 13 |
Crystal, in its scientific definition, represents one of nature's most organized forms of matter. When atoms, molecules, or ions arrange themselves in a precise, repeating three-dimensional pattern, they form what we call a crystal structure. This remarkable organizational principle creates the stunning geometric shapes, brilliant optical properties, and unique physical characteristics that have fascinated humanity for millennia.
The word crystal encompasses an extraordinary range of materials, from the salt in your kitchen to the diamonds in fine jewelry, from the silicon in computer chips to the ice forming on winter windows. What unites these diverse substances is their internal atomic architecture—a lattice structure that repeats with mathematical precision throughout the material. This ordered arrangement isn't just aesthetically pleasing; it fundamentally determines the crystal's properties, including its hardness, electrical conductivity, optical behavior, and chemical reactivity.
In everyday language, crystal often refers specifically to clear, colorless varieties like quartz crystal or lead crystal glass. However, the scientific definition is much broader. Metals are crystalline, as are most rocks and minerals. Even substances we don't typically think of as crystals—like sugar, snow, and DNA—have crystalline structures. The key distinction lies not in appearance but in atomic arrangement: crystalline materials have long-range order, while amorphous materials like glass lack this extended pattern.
The etymology of "crystal" reveals a fascinating journey through human understanding of natural phenomena. The word traces back to the ancient Greek krystallos (κρύσταλλος), which literally meant "ice" or "frozen water." This Greek term derived from kryos (κρύος), meaning "icy cold" or "frost," sharing roots with the English word "crust."
Anagrams: no other word uses exactly the letters of CRYSTAL.
Hooks: no front hooks; back CRYSTALS.
Words inside CRYSTAL: 96 shorter words can be made from these letters – highest scoring: LYCRASACYLSCLARYCLAYSLYCRASCALYSCARYACYLCAYSCLAYCYSTLACY. See all words from CRYSTAL.