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definitions

crust

[kruhst]

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

  1. crusher,
  2. crushing,
  3. crushproof,
  4. crusie,
  5. crusoe,
  6. crustacea,
  7. crustacean,
  8. crustaceous,
  9. crustal,
  10. crustal plate

Origin of crust

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

continental crust

noun

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

crust

noun

  1. the hard outer part of bread
  2. a piece of bread consisting mainly of this
the baked shell of a pie, tart, etc
any hard or stiff outer covering or surfacea crust of ice
the solid outer shell of the earth, with an average thickness of 30–35 km in continental regions and 5 km beneath the oceans, forming the upper part of the lithosphere and lying immediately above the mantle, from which it is separated by the Mohorovičić discontinuitySee also sial, sima
the dry covering of a skin sore or lesion; scab
a layer of acid potassium tartrate deposited by some wine, esp port, on the inside of the bottle
the hard outer layer of such organisms as lichens and crustaceans
slang impertinence
British, Australian and NZ slang a living (esp in the phrase earn a crust)

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
Word Origin and History for continental crust
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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

continental crust

[kŏn′tə-nĕn′tl]

See under crust.

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.