crystallography
/ˌkrɪs.təˈlæɡ.rə.fi/ IELTSAcademic
noun
The scientific study of crystals and their internal structure. It looks at how atoms are arranged inside solids.
- Crystallography helps scientists study mineral structure.
- She learned crystallography in her chemistry course.
Adinary Nuance
Crystallography is more specific than chemistry or physics. It does not mean the crystal itself, and it is not the same as crystal growth or gemstone study. Use it when you mean the scientific analysis of crystal structure.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- nghiên cứu tinh thể
- Spanish
- cristalografía
- Chinese
- 晶体学
- Japanese
- 結晶学
- Korean
- 결정학
Etymology
From modern Latin crystallographia, based on Greek krysstallos meaning “ice” or “crystal” and -graphy meaning “writing” or “study.” The word entered English in the 19th century.
Common phrases
crystallography researchX-ray crystallographyprotein crystallographycrystallography lab
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is crystallography the same as crystal growth?
- No. Crystallography studies crystal structure, while crystal growth studies how crystals form.
- Is crystallography used in biology?
- Yes. It is important in biology, especially for studying protein structures.
- Is X-ray crystallography a common phrase?
- Yes. It is the most common kind of crystallography in science writing.