definitions

crust

[ kruhst ]
/ krʌst /

noun

verb (used with object)

to cover with or as with a crust; encrust.
to form (something) into a crust.

verb (used without object)

to form or contract a crust.
to form into a crust.

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Nearby words

crush-resistant, crushed velvet, crushproof, crusie, crusoe, crust, crustacean, crustaceous, crustal, crustal plate, crusted

Origin of crust

1275–1325; Middle English < Anglo-French, Old French cruste, croste < Latin crusta hard coating, crust

Related forms

crust·less, adjectivein·ter·crust, verb (used with object)un·der·crust, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for continental crust (1 of 2)

continental crust

noun

geology that part of the earth's crust that underlies the continents and continental shelves

British Dictionary definitions for continental crust (2 of 2)

crust

/ (krʌst) /

noun

verb

to cover with or acquire a crust
to form or be formed into a crust

Word Origin for crust

C14: from Latin crūsta hard surface, rind, shell
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medicine definitions for continental crust

crust

[ krŭst ]

n.

A hard, crisp covering or surface.
An outer layer or coating formed by the drying of a bodily exudate such as pus or blood; a scab.

v.

To cover with, become covered with, or harden into a crust.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Science definitions for continental crust (1 of 2)

continental crust

[ kŏn′tə-nĕn′tl ]

See under crust.

Science definitions for continental crust (2 of 2)

crust

[ krŭst ]

The solid, outermost layer of the Earth, lying above the mantle.♦ The crust that includes continents is called continental crust and is about 35.4 to 70 km (22 to 43.4 mi) thick. It consists mostly of rocks, such as granites and granodiorites, that are rich in silica and aluminum, with minor amounts of iron, magnesium, calcium, sodium, and potassium.♦ The crust that includes ocean floors is called oceanic crust and is about 4.8 to 9.7 km (3 to 6 mi) thick. It has a similar composition to that of continental crust, but has higher concentrations of iron, magnesium, and calcium and is denser than continental crust. The predominant type of rock in oceanic crust is basalt.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Culture definitions for continental crust

crust

In geology, the outermost layer of the Earth. It overlies the mantle.

Note

The crust includes the continents and the ocean bottom and is generally estimated to be about five to twenty-five miles thick.

Note

The crust is made from relatively lightweight rocks that floated to the surface when the Earth was molten early in its history.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Idioms and Phrases with continental crust

crust

see upper crust.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.