crescent means marked by an increase; waxing, like the Moon. It carries an Arena rating of 1353, earned across 3 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, crescent ranks #2,328 of 14,438 for Most Storied Words, #2,374 of 14,451 for Most Whimsical Words, #3,606 of 14,445 for Most Beautiful Words, #7,084 of 14,414 for Most Elegant Words.
crescent is pronounced /ˈkɹɛz.ənt/.
Why “crescent” is a great word
Having the curved, tapered shape of the moon in its first or last quarter. From Middle English cressaunt, from Anglo-Norman cressaunt and Old French creissant ('crescent of the moon'), from Latin crēscēns ('growing, waxing'), present participle of crēscō ('to arise, grow'), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱreh₁- ('to grow'); the meaning 'moon's shape' is from mid-15th century in English. Unlike "gibbous" (which describes the moon's convex bulge when more than half-illuminated) or "croissant" (which names the pastry that merely borrows the French word for the shape), crescent names the thing itself: the slender, incomplete arc. It is the pale sliver hanging in a winter dusk, the curve of a fingernail paring, the horn of a young goat still velveted—a shape perpetually poised between increase and diminishment, forever caught in the act of becoming.
Etymology
From Middle English cressaunt, from Anglo-Norman cressaunt and Old French creissant (“crescent of the moon”) (French croissant), from Latin crēscēns, present active participle of crēscō (“arise, thrive”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱreh₁- (“to grow”). See Old Armenian սերիմ (serim, “be born”) and սերեմ (serem, “bring forth”), Ancient Greek κόρη (kórē, “girl”) and κούρος (koúros, “boy”), Latin creāre (“produce, create, bring forth”) and Ceres (“goddess of agriculture”). Doublet of croissant.
The pronunciation with /z/ is a comparatively recent innovation due to the influence of words such as pheasant and present.
adj
- marked by an increase; waxing, like the Moon.
- Shaped like a crescent.e.g.“Astarte, queen of heaven, with crescent horns.”
name
- A number of places in the United States:; A census-designated place in McIntosh County, Georgia.
- A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Latah County, Idaho.
- A number of places in the United States:; A township in Iroquois County, Illinois.
- A number of places in the United States:; A minor city and township in Pottawattamie County, Iowa.
- A number of places in the United States:; A hamlet in the town of Halfmoon, Saratoga County, New York.
- A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Rowan County, North Carolina.
- A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Belmont County, Ohio.
- A number of places in the United States:; A city in Logan County, Oklahoma.
- A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Klamath County, Oregon.
- A number of places in the United States:; A township in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.
- A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Spartanburg County, South Carolina.
- A number of places in the United States:; A town in Oneida County, Wisconsin.
- A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in the town of Arthur, Chippewa County, Wisconsin.
noun
- The figure of the moon as it appears between its first or last quarter and the new moon, with concave and convex edges terminating in points.
- Something shaped like a crescent, especially:; A curved pastry.
- Something shaped like a crescent, especially:; A curved street, often presenting a continuous façade, as of row houses.
- Something shaped like a crescent, especially:; A representation of a crescent, used as a symbol of Islam.e.g.“The Turkish flag features a white star and crescent on red base.”
- Something shaped like a crescent, especially:; The emblem of the waxing moon with horns directed upward, when used in a coat of arms; often used as a mark of cadency to distinguish a second son and his descendants.
- A crescent spanner.
- Any of three orders of knighthood conferred upon foreigners to whom Turkey might be indebted for valuable services.e.g.“Sebastiani receives publicly the Sultan's thanks, and is decorated with the Order of the Crescent”
- A crescentspot butterfly.
verb
- To form a crescent shapee.g.“A dark wood crescents more than half the lawn”
- To decorate with crescents.
Words closest in meaning
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