crescent
Americannoun
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crescents
plural
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a shape resembling a segment of a ring tapering to points at the ends.
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something, as a roll or cookie, having this shape.
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Astronomy.
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the figure of the moon in its first or last quarter, resembling a segment of a ring tapering to points at the ends.
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the similar figure of Mercury and Venus on either side of inferior conjunction, when seen through a telescope.
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the emblem of Turkey or of Islam.
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the power, religion, or civilization of Turkey or of Islam.
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Also called Chinese crescent, Chinese pavilion, jingling Johnny, pavillon Chinois, Turkish crescent. a musical percussion instrument of Turkish origin, consisting of a pole bearing a crescent-shaped metal plate, topped with a pavillon, and hung with small bells.
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Chiefly British.
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a curved street, often having solid façades of unified architectural design.
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the curve or curved portion of a street.
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Heraldry. a representation of a crescent moon, horns upward unless otherwise specified, used as the cadency mark of a second son.
adjective
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shaped like a crescent.
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increasing; growing.
noun
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the biconcave shape of the moon in its first or last quarters
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any shape or object resembling this
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a crescent-shaped street, often lined with houses of the same style
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( capital when part of a name )
Pelham Crescent
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heraldry a crescent moon, used as the cadency mark of a second son
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(often capital)
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the emblem of Islam or Turkey
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Islamic or Turkish power
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adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of crescent
1350–1400; < Latin crēscent- (stem of crēscēns ) present participle of crēscere to grow ( see create, -esce); replacing Middle English cressaunt < Anglo-French < Latin as above
Explanation
A crescent is a thin, curved shape that’s thicker in the middle and tapers to thin points at each end, like the little sliver of moon you might notice in the sky. Crescent was first used to describe the shape of the waxing, or growing moon, and if you listen closely you can hear its similarity to increase. But a crescent can be any thin, curved shape. You might see a crescent of light hitting the pavement or a crescent of beach next to the ocean. Crescent can also act as an adjective describing something that has that shape, like a crescent moon or a crescent roll.
Vocabulary lists containing crescent
Language Gone Wrong: Words That Started Out as Errors
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Chains
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Civilizations and Peoples of the Fertile Crescent, Lessons 1–2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
But the two that stand out most drape along the right side of his face like a crescent moon: “Victory” and “God Will Rise.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
Parkin said while "it won't go pitch black", it would "go semi-dark, it'll be like dusk", leaving only a thin crescent of sunlight visible.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
The holes in the colander will project a grid of crescent suns onto the ground.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
Because the spacecraft is approaching from the night side of the planet, Mars will first appear as a thin crescent illuminated by only a narrow strip of sunlight.
From Science Daily ● May 11, 2026
Adam said, and his smile reminded Maya of the Cheshire Cat’s, too big to be sincere, a crescent moon too sharp at the edges.
From "Far from the Tree" by Robin Benway
I could just picture it, a pan full of golden-edged, green-skinned zucchini dotted with crescents of tender, coral-hued shrimp and seasoned liberally with za’atar and lemon zest.
From Seattle Times ● May 26, 2024
Small imprints of crosses and crescents line the top of its bricks, a nod by its Muslim architect to the closeness of Islam and Christianity.
From New York Times ● Dec. 24, 2022
The artist’s views move from “Full Pink Moon” — the only picture mounted on a lightbox for maximum luminosity — to such barely-there crescents as “Razor’s Edge” and “Tangerine Slice.”
From Washington Post ● Jan. 12, 2022
And it is those handsome townhouses and sweeping crescents, along with traces of the Roman past, that bring in visitors by the coachload.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2021
Take now these five crescents and cause it to be sent to him.'
From "The Horse and His Boy" by C.S. Lewis
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
