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crescent

noun
cres·​cent | \ ˈkre-sᵊnt How to pronounce crescent (audio) \

Definition of crescent

 (Entry 1 of 3)

1a : the moon at any stage between new moon and first quarter and between last quarter and the succeeding new moon when less than half of the illuminated hemisphere is visible
b : the figure of the moon at such a stage defined by a convex (see convex sense 1a) and a concave (see concave entry 1 sense 2) edge
2 : something shaped like a crescent The crescent is used as the symbol of Islam.

crescent

adjective

Definition of crescent (Entry 2 of 3)

: marked by an increase : increasing "My powers are crescent … "— William Shakespeare

Crescent

trademark
Cres·​cent | \ ˈkre-sᵊnt How to pronounce Crescent (audio) \

Definition of Crescent (Entry 3 of 3)

—used for an adjustable open-end wrench
Other Words from crescent Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about crescent

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Other Words from crescent

Noun

crescentic \ kre-​ˈsen-​tik How to pronounce crescentic (audio) , krə-​ \ adjective

Did You Know?

Adjective

You probably know "crescent" as the shape of a moon that is less than half-illuminated. These days, "crescent" is generally used of either a waxing or waning moon, but that wasn't always the case. Originally, it referred only to the increasing illumination phase that immediately follows the new moon. That original meaning nicely reflects the meaning of the word's Latin ancestor crescere, which means "to grow." The meaning of "crescere" also shines through when we use "crescent" as an adjective meaning "increasing" or "growing." English speakers have been using "crescent" in this way since the 16th century.

Examples of crescent in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

 Later this week in the early evening low southwestern sky in the constellation Scorpius, the new crescent moon will passing by the bright planet Jupiter. — Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, "Sky Watch: September celestial splendor," 1 Sep. 2019 It’s beginning is marked by the Islamic calendar, at the first local sighting of the new moon crescent. — Nadra Widatalla, Teen Vogue, "Why Ramadan Is Important to Me in an Islamophobic America," 7 May 2019 Look for cloud breaks to see the slim but growing crescent moon in the west. — A. Camden Walker, Washington Post, "D.C.-area forecast: Thunderstorms may be numerous today, but probably less widespread this weekend," 2 Aug. 2019 Science + Tech = MACH Live BETTER Honoring the victims In our rituals of public sorrow, Greg Zanis’ handcrafted white crosses, Stars of David and crescent moons are ubiquitous — from Columbine to Pittsburgh and miles and miles of tears in between. — Petra Cahill, NBC News, "Fact checking Trump's speech, tensions flare with China & honoring the victims: The Morning Rundown," 6 Aug. 2019 And once a crescent moon replaced the sun over the empty red and yellow bleachers that usually seat racing fans, none of the festival-goers remembered the heat. — Miguel Garcia Jr., Billboard, "Hard Summer 2019 Brought the Heat With High Temps and Hot Sets From Kid Cudi, Major Lazer & More," 5 Aug. 2019 The Andamans and Nicobars are a lost world, 836 islands of mangroves, rainforests, and crescent-moon beaches stretching for 480 miles where the Bay of Bengal meets the Andaman Sea in the warm waters between India, Myanmar, Thailand, and Indonesia. — Alex Perry, Outside Online, "The Last Days of John Allen Chau," 24 July 2019 Some of the most talked about pieces included Vram’s comet shaped earrings in gold and pink sapphire, Monica Rich Kosann’s crescent moon charms in lapis, turquoise, and pearl and David Yurman’s jagged edge turquoise and ruby necklace. — Stellene Volandes, Town & Country, "How the Moon Landing Changed Jewelry History," 17 July 2019 To the East and many centuries later, the crescent moon appeared in a sculpture called the Stele of Nabonidus. — Shannon Stirone, New York Times, "Imagining the Moon," 9 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'crescent.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of crescent

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1574, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for crescent

Noun

Latinization of Middle English cressant, cressaunt, borrowed from Anglo-French, noun derivative from present participle of creistre "to increase, grow," going back to Latin crēscere "to come into existence, increase in size or numbers," perhaps going back to Indo-European *kreh1- "become stronger, increase," whence also Slavic *krějǫ, *krějati (whence Old Czech křáti, kříti "to recover, regain strength," Russian dialect krejátʼ "to convalesce, get well," Ukrainian krijáty "to regain strength," Bulgarian kréja "weaken, wither"—sense perhaps by loss of an earlier privative prefix)

Note: Latin crēscere and creāre (see create entry 1) have traditionally been linked to Indo-European *ḱerh3- "feed, satisfy" (see ceres), but this has recently been questioned on both morphological and semantic grounds. Cf. Michiel de Vaan, Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the Other Italic Languages, Leiden, 2008; Oleg Trubačev, Ètimologičeskij slovarʼ slavjanskix jazykov: praslavjanskij leksičeskij fond, Vypusk 12 (Moscow, 1985), pp. 130-31; and in particular Eugen Hill, "Lateinisch crēscō 'wachsen' etymologisch: urslavisch *krějǫ 'genesen', litauisch šeriù 'füttern' oder armenisch serem 'erzeugen'?", International Journal of Diachronic Linguistics and Linguistic Reconstruction, vol. 3 (2006), pp. 187-209, where the issues are thoroughly discussed.

Adjective

borrowed from Latin crēscent-, crescēns, present participle of crēscere "to come into existence, increase in size or numbers" — more at crescent entry 1

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More Definitions for crescent

crescent

noun
How to pronounce Crescent (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of crescent

: the shape of the visible part of the moon when it is less than half full
: a shape that is curved, wide at its center, and pointed at its two ends like a crescent moon

See the full definition for crescent in the English Language Learners Dictionary

crescent

noun
cres·​cent | \ ˈkre-sᵊnt How to pronounce crescent (audio) \

Kids Definition of crescent

 (Entry 1 of 2)

1 : the shape of the visible part of the moon when it is less than half full
2 : something shaped like a crescent moon

crescent

adjective

Kids Definition of crescent (Entry 2 of 2)

: shaped like the crescent moon crescent rolls

crescent

noun
cres·​cent | \ ˈkres-ᵊnt How to pronounce crescent (audio) \

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