Cryptocrystalline refers to a texture in minerals and rocks where the crystals are so small that they cannot be distinguished under an ordinary light microscope. Instead, the material appears massive or finely grained, though it is technically crystalline at the microscopic or submicroscopic level. 🌍 Definition Cryptocrystalline: From Greek kryptos (“hidden”) + crystallos (“crystal”). Describes…

Cross-cultural research is a methodological approach in anthropology, sociology, psychology, and organizational studies that systematically compares cultural groups to identify similarities, differences, and patterns in human behavior, institutions, and values. It is one of the cornerstones of comparative anthropology and global social science. 🌍 Definition Cross-Cultural Research: The study of two or more cultural groups…

Cross-cousins are a key category in kinship anthropology, distinguished from parallel cousins by the sex of the linking siblings. They are central to marriage rules, alliance theory, and the comparative study of kinship systems. 🌍 Definition Cross-Cousins: The children of a parent’s opposite-sex sibling. Mother’s brother’s children (MB’s children) Father’s sister’s children (FZ’s children) Parallel…

Cross-cousin preferential marriage is a kinship practice in which individuals are encouraged—or sometimes required—to marry their cross-cousins (the children of a parent’s opposite-sex sibling). It is one of the most widely studied forms of preferential marriage in anthropology. 🌍 Definition Cross-Cousin: Children of your mother’s brother (MB) or father’s sister (FZ). Distinguished from parallel cousins…

A cross-section is a concept used across science, engineering, and anthropology to describe the view or representation of an object, structure, or phenomenon as if it were cut through along a plane. It reveals internal features that are not visible from the outside. 🌍 Definition Cross-Section (General): A slice or cut through an object, showing…

Cro-Magnon refers to the population of early modern humans (Homo sapiens) who lived in Europe during the Upper Paleolithic period, roughly 40,000–10,000 years ago. The name comes from the site of Cro-Magnon in southwestern France, where fossil remains were first discovered in 1868. 🌍 Definition Cro-Magnon: A term historically used for anatomically modern humans in…

Critical theory is a school of thought that critiques and seeks to transform society by analyzing power, domination, and inequality. It originated with the Frankfurt School in the 20th century and remains influential in philosophy, sociology, cultural studies, and political science. 🌍 Definition Critical Theory: A social and political philosophy that examines how knowledge, culture,…

In anthropology, the phrase critical temperature isn’t used in the strict thermodynamic sense. Instead, it appears metaphorically or contextually in studies of human adaptation, archaeology, and cultural ecology, where temperature thresholds are tied to survival, technology, and social organization. 🌍 Anthropological Uses of “Critical Temperature” Human Adaptation: Refers to the temperature limits of human physiology,…

In anthropology, the crescent is studied as both a symbol and a motif that reflects cultural identity, cosmology, and power. It is most often linked to the Moon’s phases, but its meanings vary across societies, from fertility and renewal to political authority and religious affiliation. 🌙 Symbolic Meaning in Anthropology Celestial Association: The crescent represents…

Creole refers to both a cultural identity and a linguistic category: it describes communities and languages that emerged from colonial encounters, blending European, African, and Indigenous elements into distinct traditions. 🌍 Linguistic Definition Creole Language: A stable, fully developed language that evolves from a pidgin (a simplified contact language) once it becomes the native tongue…

Crenelation (also spelled crenellation) is an architectural term referring to the pattern of alternating raised portions (merlons) and gaps (crenels or embrasures) along the top of defensive walls, battlements, or towers. It is one of the most recognizable features of medieval fortifications. 🌍 Definition Crenelation: The notched parapet at the top of a wall, consisting…

Cremation is the practice of disposing of the dead by burning the body, reducing it to ash and bone fragments. It is one of the most widespread mortuary practices globally, with deep cultural, religious, and symbolic meanings. 🌍 Definition Cremation: The burning of a human body until soft tissues are destroyed, leaving skeletal remains and…