crystal

/ˈkɹɪstəl/

//ˈkɹɪstəl// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"crystal" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“crystal” has 12 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #3,614. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#3,614
frequency rank, English
43,570
“C” headwords
12
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - 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.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

crystal vs crystals
88% similar
crystal vs costal
71% similar
crystal vs coastal
71% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for crystal
PropertyValue
Headwordcrystal
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkɹɪstəl/
Letters7
Frequency rank#3,614
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “crystal” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). crystal lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 12 spelling variants around crystal (IPA /ˈkɹɪstəl/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #3,614 among 43,570 “C” headwords. Wiktionary lists 6 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for crystal, with forms such as "ccrystal", "crrystal", and "crsytal". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 3 confusable-pair relationships, "crystals", "costal", "coastal", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English crystal, cristal, criȝstall, 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 κρ… The correct English form is crystal, spelled C-R-Y-S-T-A-L.

Definition

  1. 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. 2
    A piece of glimmering, shining mineral resembling ice or glass.
  3. 3
    A fine type of glassware, or the material used to make it.
  4. 4
    Crystal meth; methamphetamine hydrochloride.
  5. 5
    A person's eye.
  6. 6
    The glass over the dial of a watch case.

Etymology

From Middle English crystal, cristal, criȝstall, 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 κρύσταλλος (krústallos, “clear ice”), from κρύος (krúos, “frost”), from Proto-Indo-European *krews- (“hard, hard outer surface, crust”).

This word in other languages

cristal(Español)cristal(Français)Kristall(Deutsch)cristal(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ccrystal
  • crrystal
  • crsytal
  • crysatl
  • crysstal
  • crystall
  • crystla
  • crysttal
  • crytsal
  • cryystal
  • cyrstal
  • rcystal

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of crystal - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ccrystal1crrystal1crsytal2crysatl2crysstal1crystall1crystla2crysttal1
Edit distance from "crystal"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "crystal"?
"crystal" is spelled C-R-Y-S-T-A-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɹɪstəl/.
What does "crystal" mean?
As a noun, "crystal" means: 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.
What words are commonly confused with "crystal"?
"crystal" is commonly confused with "crystals", "costal", "coastal". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "crystal"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "crystal" is /ˈkɹɪstəl/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "crystal"?
From Middle English crystal, cristal, criȝstall, 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 Ancien... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “crystal”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is C-R-Y-S-T-A-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈkɹɪstəl/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “crystals” - see the side-by-side comparison. crystal vs crystals
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list