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crème de la crème /kre m də lɑː kre m/ N‑SING If you refer to someone or something as the crème de la crème , you mean they are the very best person or thing of their kind. [JOURNALISM , APPROVAL ] □ [+ of ] …the crème de la crème of fashion designers.

crème fraiche /kre m fre ʃ/ N‑UNCOUNT Crème fraiche is a type of thick, slightly sour cream.

cren|el|lat|ed /kre nəle I t I d/ in AM, also use crenelated ADJ [usu ADJ n] In a castle, a crenellated wall has gaps in the top or openings through which to fire at attackers. [TECHNICAL ] □  …crenellated turrets.

cre|ole /kriː oʊl/ (creoles ) also Creole

1 N‑VAR A creole is a language that has developed from a mixture of different languages and has become the main language in a particular place. □  She begins speaking in the Creole of Haiti. □  …French Creole.

2 N‑COUNT A Creole is a person of mixed African and European race, who lives in the West Indies and speaks a creole language.

3 N‑COUNT A Creole is a person descended from the Europeans who first settled in the West Indies or the southern United States of America.

4 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Creole means belonging to or relating to the Creole community. □  Coconut Rice Balls is a Creole dish.

creo|sote /kriː əsoʊt/ N‑UNCOUNT Creosote is a thick dark liquid made from coal tar which is used to prevent wood from rotting.

crepe /kre I p/ (crepes )

1 N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Crepe is a thin fabric with an uneven surface and is made of cotton, silk, or wool. □  Use a crepe bandage to support the affected area.

2 N‑COUNT A crepe is a thin pancake . □  …chicken-filled crepes.

3 N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Crepe is a type of rubber with a rough surface. □  …a pair of crepe-soled ankle-boots.

cre pe pa |per N‑UNCOUNT Crepe paper is stretchy paper with an uneven surface. Coloured crepe paper is often used for making decorations.

crept /kre pt/ Crept is the past tense and past participle of creep .

cre|pus|cu|lar /kr I pʌ skjʊlə ^r / ADJ [ADJ n] Crepuscular means relating to twilight . [LITERARY ] □  …peering through the crepuscular gloom.

cre|scen|do /kr I ʃe ndoʊ/ (crescendos )

1 N‑COUNT [usu sing] A crescendo is a noise that gets louder and louder. Some people also use crescendo to refer to the point when a noise is at its loudest. □  The applause rose to a crescendo and cameras clicked.

2 N‑COUNT [usu sing] People sometimes describe an increase in the intensity of something, or its most intense point, as a crescendo . [JOURNALISM ] □ [+ of ] There was a crescendo of parliamentary and press criticism.

3 N‑COUNT [usu sing] In music, a crescendo is a section of a piece of music in which the music gradually gets louder and louder.

cres|cent /kre s ^ə nt, kre z-/ (crescents )

1 N‑COUNT A crescent is a curved shape that is wider in the middle than at its ends, like the shape of the moon during its first and last quarters. It is the most important symbol of the Islamic faith. □  A glittering Islamic crescent tops the mosque. □ [+ of ] …a narrow crescent of sand dunes. □  …a crescent moon.

2 N‑COUNT Crescent is sometimes used as part of the name of a street or row of houses that is usually built in a curve. [mainly BRIT ] □  …44 Colville Crescent.

cress /kre s/

1 N‑UNCOUNT Cress is a plant with small green leaves that are used in salads or to decorate food. See also mustard and cress .

2 N‑UNCOUNT mustard and cress is sometimes referred to as cress .

crest /kre st/ (crests )

1 N‑COUNT The crest of a hill or a wave is the top of it. ● PHRASE If you say that you are on the crest of a wave , you mean that you are feeling very happy and confident because things are going well for you. □  The band are riding on the crest of a wave with the success of their new single.

2 N‑COUNT A bird's crest is a group of upright feathers on the top of its head. □  Both birds had a dark blue crest.

3 N‑COUNT A crest is a design that is the symbol of a noble family, a town, or an organization. □  On the wall is the family crest.