Crête

Crête is a French noun meaning crest, ridge, or summit. The term derives from Latin crista and is widely used across disciplines to describe a raised, elongated line or projection that separates two sides or zones.

In geography and geomorphology, a crête is the crest of a hill or mountain—the highest continuous line along a ridge. Crested landforms can form long, narrow ridges shaped by tectonics, erosion, or glacial activity. The word is commonly used in field descriptions, hiking, and topographic maps to indicate the crest line or the route along the summit.

In architecture, la crête denotes the ridge at the top of a roof, where two slopes meet. The length of this line defines the roof’s ridge and is a key element in roof construction and drainage.

In biology and anatomy, crête refers to a raised edge or ridge on a bone or organ. Examples include the iliac crest on the pelvis and the occipital crest on the skull. In animals, a crest can be a tuft or plate forming part of the head or back, as in crested birds or other crested species.

In other contexts, the term can denote a crest of a wave or the crest of a line in charts and diagrams. Metaphorically, crête is used to indicate the highest point or apex of a process or phenomenon.

Overall, crête conveys the idea of a prominent raised feature that runs along a line, separating adjacent areas or sides.