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Added 9 October 2026

crest

/kɹɛst/ noun

In Latin: crista Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about crest at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

The top line of a hill, mountain, or wave.
The top or extreme point of something (usually a mountain or hill).
the view from the peak was magnificent
The center of a cambered road.

verb

Lie at the top of.
Snow capped the mountains
Reach a high point.
The river crested last night

Origin

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.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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