Definition

1. Noun:
   • A minute rudimentary crystalline body: A "crystallite" is a very small, often microscopic, crystal that has begun to form but has not developed its full, characteristic crystalline shape. It represents an early stage of crystallization.
   • A constituent of glassy igneous rock: In geology, "crystallite" specifically refers to one of the numerous tiny, embryonic crystalline bodies of unknown or indeterminate mineral composition found embedded in volcanic glass or other glassy igneous rocks.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Under the microscope, the obsidian sample revealed countless crystallites suspended in the glassy matrix.
  • The rapid cooling of the lava prevented full crystal growth, resulting in a rock filled with crystallites rather than large, distinct minerals.

Advanced Usage

• Scientific Context: The term is primarily used in geology, mineralogy, and materials science to describe the initial, often imperfect, stages of crystal formation in a solidifying melt or solution.
  • The polymer's amorphous structure showed signs of ordering with the formation of nano-scale crystallites.

Variants and Related Words

• Crystalline (adj): Having the structure and form of a crystal; composed of crystals.
  • The sample had a crystalline structure.
• Crystallization (n): The process by which a crystallite forms and grows into a larger crystal.
  • The crystallization process was studied in detail.

Synonyms

• Microlite: A very small crystal.
• Embryonic crystal: A crystal in its earliest stage of formation.

Notes on Meaning

The word "crystallite" is a technical term. Its core meaning is a tiny, incipient crystal. While the reference definition specifies "found in glassy igneous rock," the term can be applied more broadly in materials science to describe similar small crystalline regions in other non-crystalline (amorphous) solids, such as glasses, polymers, or thin films. The defining characteristic is its small size and rudimentary form.

Noun

1. any of numerous minute rudimentary crystalline bodies of unknown composition found in glassy igneous rock