English Explanatory Dictionary

crest

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The summit of a hill or mountain ridge.
  2. A tuft, or other natural ornament, growing on an animal's head, for example the comb of a cockerel, the swelling on the head of a snake, the lengthened feathers of the crown or nape of bird, etc.
  3. The plume of feathers, or other decoration, worn on or displayed on a helmet; the distinctive ornament of a helmet.
  4. A bearing worn, not upon the shield, but usually on a helmet above it, sometimes (as for clerics) separately above the shield or separately as a mark for plate, in letterheads, and the like.
  5. The upper curve of a horse's neck.
  6. The ridge or top of a wave.
  7. The helm or head, as typical of a high spirit; pride; courage.
  8. The ornamental finishing which surmounts the ridge of a roof, canopy, etc.
  9. The top line of a slope or embankment.
  10. A ridge along the surface of a bone.
  11. A design or logo, especially one of an institution, sports club, association or high-class family.
  12. Any of several birds in the family Regulidae, including the goldcrests and firecrests.
verb
  1. Particularly with reference to waves, to reach a peak.
  2. To reach the crest of (e.g. a hill or mountain).
  3. To furnish with, or surmount as, a crest; to serve as a crest for.
  4. To mark with lines or streaks like waving plumes.
noun
  1. Acronym of comparisons, reasons, examples, statistics, testimony, the five types of verbal support used to enhance an oral presentation.
name
  1. A census-designated place in San Diego County, California, United States.
  2. A surname.

Pronunciation

/kɹɛst/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-crest.wav

Word forms

crest crests cresting crested

Etymology

From Middle English creste, from Old French creste (modern French crête) and perhaps continuing Old English cræsta (“crest, tuft, plume”); both ultimately from Vulgar Latin *cresta, from Latin crista. Doublet of crista. The informal meaning “design, logo” (noun sense 11) stems from a misinterpretation of the heraldic noun sense 4, which specifically refers to the object placed on top of the helm.

Synonyms

comb cockscomb

Related words

CREST syndrome

Derived words

crestal crest cloud crestfallen crestfish crestie crestless crestlike crestline crest-tailed mulgara crest tile cresyl flamecrest great crest helmetcrest hillcrest iliac crest increst infratemporal crest interior crest neural crest neural crest syndrome neurocrest Pacific Crest plovercrest ride the crest of the wave sagittal crest Scotch crest undercrest
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