crest
crest — noun
1. the uppermost line of a natural elevation — for example, a hilltop, a mountain p
the uppermost line of a natural elevation — for example, a hilltop, a mountain peak, or a wave just before it breaks — where the climb ends and the descent starts
The hikers reached the crest of the hill just before the sun went down.
collocation: crest of a hill
From the crest of the wave, the surfer could see the whole coastline spread out below.
collocation: crest of a wave
Snow covered the crest of the mountain for most of the year.
When the runners reached the crest of the slope, they began the fast descent back to town.
A small stone cross stood on the crest of the hill overlooking the village.
passive sense: what stands on the crest
- crest of a hill
- crest of a wave
- crest of a mountain
- crest of the slope
2. a tuft of feathers, a patch of fur, or a fleshy comb that stands upright on an a
a tuft of feathers, a patch of fur, or a fleshy comb that stands upright on an animal's head and is often used to attract a mate or warn off rivals
The male cardinal has a bright red crest that makes it easy to spot in the trees.
collocation: bright red crest
When the cockatoo feels threatened, it raises its yellow crest high in the air.
raises its crest (behaviour)
Some lizards have a crest of small spines running from the back of the head down to the tail.
The rooster's red crest is a sign of health that attracts the hens in the farmyard.
A crest of blue feathers stood up on the bird's head whenever it sang.
- bright crest
- red crest
- yellow crest
- raise its crest
- crest of feathers
Usage Note
Commonly used for birds such as parrots, cockatoos, and cardinals, and for chickens and roosters where it is also called a comb.
3. a distinctive design or emblem representing a particular family, school, town, o
a distinctive design or emblem representing a particular family, school, town, or organisation, often with a long history and used on official items or buildings
The family crest showed a golden lion holding a sword above a silver river.
Every official letter from the school carried its crest at the top of the page.
collocation: school crest
Leila embroidered the old family crest onto a small cloth bag as a gift for her grandfather.
The crest of the city appears on public buildings, flags, and official documents.
The carved wooden crest above the fireplace showed the noble family's coat of arms.
placement: above a fireplace
- family crest
- school crest
- city crest
- carved crest
- display a crest
- emblem
a broader term for any symbolic design used by a group
- coat of arms
a full heraldic design including a shield, crest, and other elements
- insignia
a badge or symbol of rank, office, or membership
Usage Note
Frequently used in contexts of tradition and heritage; school and university crests are common in British-style education systems.
Common Mistakes
4. a decorative item, often using feathers, horsehair, or metal, mounted on a soldi
a decorative item, often using feathers, horsehair, or metal, mounted on a soldier's helmet or hat as an identifying mark, especially in historical military dress
The knight's crest was made of white feathers and fastened to the top of his steel helmet.
Each regiment had its own coloured crest on the front of the soldiers' hats.
collocation: coloured crest on a hat
The museum displayed a Roman officer's helmet crest made from red-dyed horsehair.
In the parade, the general wore a helmet with a golden crest that shone in the sunlight.
The crest on a soldier's helmet in ancient times helped other soldiers recognise their leader in battle.
function: identifying leaders in battle
- feather crest
- helmet crest
- golden crest
- horsehair crest
Usage Note
This sense is historical; modern military headgear rarely carries a visible crest of this type.
5. a narrow raised ridge on a bone or body part where muscles or tendons attach, pr
a narrow raised ridge on a bone or body part where muscles or tendons attach, providing strength and support to the skeleton
The doctor pointed to the crest of the patient's hip bone on the X-ray image.
Runners sometimes feel pain along the crest of the shin bone after long training sessions.
anatomical: crest of the shin bone
The nurse gently felt the crest of the collarbone to check for signs of a fracture.
A strong blow to the side of the head can fracture the crest of the cheekbone.
The iliac crest is the curved top edge of the pelvic bone that you can feel just below your waist.
common term: iliac crest
- iliac crest
- crest of the bone
- bone crest
- pelvic crest
- ridge
a more general term for any raised line on a bone
- prominence
a general medical term for any projecting part of a bone
Usage Note
Most commonly encountered in the term 'iliac crest' (the curved ridge of the pelvic bone). Other common anatomical crests include the 'sacral crest' and 'tibial crest.'
A time when someone is very successful or happy.
After winning the championship, the team was on the crest of a wave.
Maya felt she was riding the crest of the wave after her promotion.
To enjoy great success or support because of a particular situation or event.
The company is riding the crest of the tech boom.
Diego rode the crest of his popularity to win the election.
crest — verb
1. to arrive at or pass over the highest point of a hill, mountain, or wave after c
to arrive at or pass over the highest point of a hill, mountain, or wave after climbing upward
The car crested the hill and the driver saw the ocean for the first time.
The team of climbers crested the ridge just as the storm clouds gathered above.
As the boat crested each wave, the passengers held tight to the sides.
collocation: crest a wave
The runner crested the final slope and could hear the crowd cheering in the stadium below.
A young cyclist crested the long climb first and waved to the supporters waiting at the top.
- crest a hill
- crest a wave
- crest a ridge
- crest a slope
- descend
to go down from a high point
Grammar Patterns
crest + object (hill/mountain/wave)
Usage Note
Strongly associated with physical movement through landscapes — hills, ridges, slopes, and waves. Not used for reaching the top of a building (use 'reach the top of' instead).
Common Mistakes
2. of a wave, flood, or similar natural force, to build up and reach its highest le
of a wave, flood, or similar natural force, to build up and reach its highest level before beginning to fall again
The river crested at three metres above normal level after three days of heavy rain.
collocation: river crested at [height]
The floodwaters crested in the early morning and then slowly began to recede.
Meteorologists warned that the tide would crest at midnight, reaching dangerously high levels.
As the storm passed, the waves crested at over six metres, forcing boats to stay in the harbour.
The lake crested just below the top of the dam, and the engineers watched nervously through the night.
- crest at [height]
- river crested
- flood crested
- tide crested
- waves crested
Grammar Patterns
crest (no object) — 'the river crested'
Usage Note
Always intransitive — the subject is the water or wave itself. Commonly used in news reports about floods and storms. Distinguish from sense 1 (transitive: 'crest a hill') where a person or vehicle is the subject and climbs over something.
Common Mistakes
3. to put a decorative crest on top of something, such as a helmet, shield, or buil
to put a decorative crest on top of something, such as a helmet, shield, or building, especially as a mark of identity or honour
The blacksmith crested the knight's helmet with a golden eagle.
passive form often used: 'crested with'
The gate of the old palace was crested with the royal family's stone emblem.
Each wooden chair in the hall was crested with a small carved flower.
The silver cup was beautifully crested with the winner's name and the date of the race.
The architect designed a tower crested with four stone lions at each corner.
- crested with gold
- crested with a symbol
- crested with feathers
Grammar Patterns
crest + object + with + decoration
Usage Note
Almost always used in the passive form 'crested with,' describing what the top decoration is. The active form 'to crest something with X' is very rare.
Word family
- crestedadjectiveB2
- crestlessadjectiveC2
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
Crest, peak, summit, and top all describe the highest part of something, but they are used in different contexts. Crest emphasises the top edge or line of a slope — it works well for waves and rolling hills, where the top is a curve rather than a single point. Peak suggests a sharp, pointed top, most naturally used for mountains and figuratively for the highest level of achievement or intensity (e.g., 'peak performance'). Summit is the most formal of the four, referring to the very highest point of a mountain and used metaphorically for high-level meetings ('summit talks'). Top is the simplest everyday word, suitable for any elevated point. Ridge describes a long, narrow top, not a single point. For example, you would say 'the crest of a wave' but not 'the peak of a wave'; you could say 'the summit of Mount Everest' or 'the top of the hill' but 'the crest of the hill' suggests the moment you reach the high point of a gentle slope, not a sharp peak.
Common collocations
Nouns
- hill crest
- wave crest
- mountain crest
- family crest
- school crest
- helmet crest
Prepositions
- crest of
- crested with
- crested at
Etymology
The word 'crest' comes from the Latin 'crista,' meaning a tuft or plume — like the comb on a rooster's head. It passed into Old French as 'creste' and then into English around the 14th century. The original meaning was a bird's comb or a plume on a helmet, and over time the word expanded to describe the top of hills and waves and later heraldic designs representing families and organisations.