crown glass: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

Yes, but primarily for two reasons: 1) Restoration of historical buildings, where specialists reproduce the traditional spun method. 2) Optical industry, where 'crown glass' refers to a specific type of low-dispersion glass manufactured for lenses, not using the historical spinning technique.

It is the thickened, often opaque, central point (the 'crown' or 'boss') of the spun glass disc where the pontil rod was attached. This part was often discarded or used in less important windows.

Crown glass is made by spinning a bubble of glass into a disc. Plate glass (an older method than modern float glass) was made by casting molten glass onto a table, rolling it flat, then grinding and polishing it. Plate glass was flatter and larger but more expensive to produce.

The name was borrowed from the historical window glass. In optics, glasses are categorised by their refractive index and dispersion. 'Crown glass' denotes glasses with lower dispersion (Abbe number > 50), as opposed to 'flint glass' with higher dispersion.

A type of high-quality, colourless glass made from silica, soda, and lime, historically produced by spinning a molten glass bubble into a disc.

Crown glass is usually technical/historical in register.

Crown glass: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkraʊn ˈɡlɑːs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌkraʊn ˈɡlæs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.