crested

UK: /ˈkrɛstɪd/

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

crest /krɛst/   n. 

[countable]
1. Geography the highest part of a hill or mountain range;
   summit.
2. the highest point or level:
   The president was riding the crest of his popularity.
3. Geography the point of highest flood, as of a river:
   The water level is high, but it hasn't reached the crest yet.
4. Oceanography the foamy top of a wave.
5. Zoology a tuft or other natural growth on the top of the head of an animal.
6. Heraldry coat of arms (def. 2).

v. [no object]

7. Oceanography to form or reach a crest, as a wave or river:
   The river hasn't crested yet.
8. to reach the highest point:
   The general's popularity crested after the great victory.

crest•ed, adj. [before a noun]

a crested finch.

crest•less, adj. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

crest  (krest), n. 

1. the highest part of a hill or mountain range;
   summit.
2. the head or top of anything.
3. a ridge or ridgelike formation.
4. Oceanography the foamy top of a wave.
5. the point of highest flood, as of a river.
6. the highest point or level;
   climax;
   culmination.
7. Zoology a tuft or other natural growth on the top of the head of an animal, as the comb of a rooster.
8. anything resembling or suggesting such a tuft.
9. Zoology the ridge of the neck of a horse, dog, etc.
10. Zoology the mane growing from this ridge.
11. Heraldry an ornament or heraldic device surmounting a helmet.
12. Heraldry a helmet.
13. a ridge running from front to back along the top of a helmet;
    comb.
14. Heraldry a figure borne above the escutcheon in an achievement of arms, either on a helmet or by itself as a distinguishing device. See illus. under coat of arms. 
15. Anatomy a ridge, esp. on a bone.
16. Zoology a ridge or other prominence on any part of the body of an animal.
17. Architecture a cresting.
18. Mechanical Engineering [Mach.] (in a screw or other threaded object) the ridge or surface farthest from the body of the object and defined by the flanks of the thread. Cf. root (def. 14a).

v.t. 

19. to furnish with a crest.
20. to serve as a crest for;
    crown or top.
21. to reach the crest or summit of (a hill, mountain, etc.).

v.i. 

22. Oceanography to form or rise to a crest, as a wave or river.
23. to reach the crest or highest level:
    Interest in the project has crested.

• Latin crista
• Old French
• Middle English creste 1275–1325

crest′ed, adj. 
crest′less, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

crest / krɛst/ noun

1. a tuft or growth of feathers, fur, or skin along the top of the heads of some birds, reptiles, and other animals
2. something resembling or suggesting this
3. the top, highest point, or highest stage of something
4. an ornamental piece, such as a plume, on top of a helmet
5. a symbol of a family or office, usually representing a beast or bird, borne in addition to a coat of arms and used in medieval times to decorate the helmet

verb

1. (intransitive) to come or rise to a high point
2. (transitive) to lie at the top of; cap
3. (transitive) to go to or reach the top of (a hill, wave, etc)

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French creste, from Latin crista

ˈcrested adjective

ˈcrestless adjective