crystallize

/ˈkɹɪstəlaɪz/

//ˈkɹɪstəlaɪz// verb

"crystallize" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“crystallize” is uncommon English (frequency #62,810 among 5,599 “C” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#62,810
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To make something form into crystals.

Corpus desk

Index EN-crystallize · crystallize · English

crystallize · rank #62,810 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #62,810
  • LEN-MEGA 11 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH crowdsourced

Nearest frequency peer: crowdsourced (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “crystallize”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “crystallize” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for crystallize
PropertyValue
Headwordcrystallize
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈkɹɪstəlaɪz/
Letters11
Frequency rank#62,810
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “crystallize” in English

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).crystallizefalls in this rarity band:

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Rare peers in the same band: “crowdsourced” (#62,809), “CSB” (#62,811), “creaky” (#62,808). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “crystallize” is #62,810. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

crystallize is uncommon English at frequency #62,810 among 5,599 “C” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ˈkɹɪstəlaɪz/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 5 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for crystallize in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. Our dataset records no confusable match here, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From crystal + -ize. The correct English form is crystallize, spelled C-R-Y-S-T-A-L-L-I-Z-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To make something form into crystals.
  2. 2
    To assume a crystalline form.
  3. 3
    To give a definite or precise form to (something).
  4. 4
    To take a definite form.
  5. 5
    To coat something with crystals, especially with sugar.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how crystallize appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. I crystallized the copper sulfate by slowly cooling a saturated solution.
  2. The copper sulphate crystallized from solution.

Etymology

From crystal + -ize.

This word in other languages

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 "crystallize"?
"crystallize" is spelled C-R-Y-S-T-A-L-L-I-Z-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɹɪstəlaɪz/.
What does "crystallize" mean?
As a verb, "crystallize" means: To make something form into crystals.
How do you pronounce "crystallize"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "crystallize" is /ˈkɹɪstəlaɪz/. 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 "crystallize"?
From crystal + -ize. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "crystallize", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 11 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list