crescent

== English == === Alternative forms === (curved street): cres. (abbreviation) === 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. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈkɹɛz.ənt/, /ˈkɹɛs.ənt/ (General American) IPA(key): /ˈkɹɛs.ənt/, /ˈkɹɛz.ənt/ Rhymes: -ɛsənt, -ɛzənt === Noun === crescent (plural crescents) 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. Synonyms: crescent roll, croissant Hyponyms: kipfel, rogalik A curved street, often presenting a continuous façade, as of row houses. (Islam) A representation of a crescent, used as a symbol of Islam. (heraldry) 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. (New Zealand) A crescent spanner. (historical) Any of three orders of knighthood conferred upon foreigners to whom Turkey might be indebted for valuable services. A crescentspot butterfly. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Adjective === crescent (not comparable) (dated, rare, literary) marked by an increase; waxing, like the Moon. Shaped like a crescent. ==== Antonyms ==== gibbous ==== Translations ==== === Verb === crescent (third-person singular simple present crescents, present participle crescenting, simple past and past participle crescented) (transitive) To form a crescent shape (transitive) To decorate with crescents. === References === “crescent”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC. == Latin == === Verb === crēscent third-person plural future active indicative of crēscō