Definition

Made up of many small crystals that are not aligned in the same direction.

Example

The material used in the solar panels is polycrystalline, which helps improve their efficiency.

Conversation

Have you ever seen a polycrystalline structure in real life?

Yeah, I saw some samples in my materials science class last week.

They look so interesting, especially how the crystals are oriented.

I know! It's fascinating how they can have different properties based on their structure.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Polycrystalline → It is formed from "poly-" (from Greek "polus", meaning many) and "crystalline" (from Greek "kristallos", meaning ice or crystal). The word describes a material composed of many small crystals or grains.

Memory Tip

Think of 'many' ('poly-') crystals coming together to form a solid structure — that's what polycrystalline means.

Visually Confused Words