💧 Medical fluid 🧬 Crystal deposit 🔷 Crystal-like

crystalloid

9.0

A small crystal-like particle found in body cells or tissues

noun
/ˈkrɪstəˌlɔɪd/

Specialized

: microcristal

The doctor explained that crystalloids are important for maintaining fluid balance in patients during surgery.

Examples

Although not significant, more crystalloids and colloids were administered in the gelatin-only group.

Academic text (1996)
In the laboratory, researchers observed that the crystalloids formed distinct patterns under the microscope.
Under certain conditions, the crystalloids can precipitate out of solution, leading to the formation of tiny crystal-like deposits in tissues.

Synonyms

crystal

vscrystalloid

Specialized

274 3.6

A solid with atoms in a regular repeating pattern that forms geometric shapes

is smaller and denotes a tiny particle resembling ordered inorganic solids inside cells

crystallite

vscrystalloid

Specialized

1 9.9

A tiny solid grain with a regular internal structure that forms inside cooled lava or volcanic glass

is used for similar tiny deposits in biological tissue rather than in rocks

microcrystal

vscrystalloid

Specialized

1 7.9

A very small crystal that you can only see under a microscope

refers to tiny deposits that only resemble such solids inside cells or tissues

Surface Forms

crystalloid singular

crystalloids plural

Morphology

crystalloid = crystal (transparent) = crystal + oid

This sense denotes a small crystal-like particle; the meaning 'crystal-like' follows directly from 'crystal' + '-oid'.

Etymology

Crystalloid is formed from crystal and -oid, meaning 'like', so it literally means 'like a crystal'. This helps you remember a crystalloid as a small, crystal-like deposit seen in cells or tissues.