Etymology From Middle English crystal, cristal, criȝstall, representing a merger of Old English cristalla (from Latin crystallus) and Anglo-Norman cristall, Old French cristal (from Latin crystallum). The Latin is derived from Ancient Greek κρύσταλλος (krústallos, “clear ice”), from κρύος (krúos, “frost”), from Proto-Indo-European *krews- (“hard, hard outer surface, crust”).
1
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.
2
A piece of glimmering, shining mineral resembling ice or glass.
3
A fine type of glassware, or the material used to make it.
He tells me he's been shooting crystal, which I already pretty much know because he does not bother to keep his sleeves rolled down over the needle tracks.1968, Joan Didion, “Slouching Towards Bethlehem”, in Slouching Towards Bethlehem:
Come, let's away. My loue, giue me thy Lippes: Looke to my Chattels, and my Moueables: [...] Goe, cleare they Chryſtalls. Yokefellowes in Armes, let vs to France1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii], page 75, column 2:
Etymology From Middle English crystal, cristal, criȝstall, representing a merger of Old English cristalla (from Latin crystallus) and Anglo-Norman cristall, Old French cristal (from Latin crystallum). The Latin is derived from Ancient Greek κρύσταλλος (krústallos, “clear ice”), from κρύος (krúos, “frost”), from Proto-Indo-European *krews- (“hard, hard outer surface, crust”).
Its ceiling was crystal, around on the wall / Thickly studded were rubies and diamonds rare; / But purer than crystal, and brighter than all / Of the jewels adorning her glittering hall, / Was the mermaiden languishing there.1887, Joseph W[arren] Smith, Gleanings from the Sea: Showing the Pleasures, Pains and Penalties of Life Afloat, with Contingencies Ashore, Andover, Mass.: […] the Author, page 116:
The walls were crystal, and they seemed to have hundreds of different-colored lights shifting behind them.1985, Patricia C[ollins] Wrede, Talking to Dragons, New York, N.Y.: Tempo Books, →ISBN, page 146:
1 more example
The uneven floor was crystal as well, as if there once had been huge crystals jutting up here, too, but ones that had been broken away and the surface crudely adzed.2000, Dennis L[ester] McKiernan, Silver Wolf, Black Falcon, Roc Books, →ISBN, page 439:
[…] the more faire and chriſtall is the skie, The vglier ſeeme the cloudes that in it flye: […]1595 December 9 (first known performance), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Richard the Second”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i], page 23, columns 1–2: