crystallize

English

Alternative forms

(UK) crystallise / crystalise
crystalize

Etymology

Pronunciation

Verb

crystallize (third-person singular simple present crystallizes, present participle crystallizing, simple past and past participle crystallized)

(transitive, chemistry, physics) to make something form into crystals
I crystallized the copper sulphate by slowly cooling a saturated solution.
(intransitive) to assume a crystalline form
The copper sulphate crystallized from solution.
(transitive) to give something a definite or precise form
After some thought, I crystallized my ideas for the paper.
(intransitive) to take a definite form
My ideas crystallized overnight.
(transitive) to coat something with crystals, especially with sugar
We crystallized the fruit by coating in sugar.