crackling

American  

[krak-ling, -luhn] / ˈkræk lɪŋ, -lən /

noun

1. the making of slight cracking sounds rapidly repeated.

2. the crisp browned skin or rind of roast pork.

3. Southern U.S. Usually cracklings. the crisp residue left when fat, especially hog or chicken fat, is rendered.

---

crackling British  

/ ˈkræklɪŋ /

noun

1. the crisp browned skin of roast pork

---

Etymology

Origin of crackling

First recorded in 1540–50; crackle + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

A firefighter picking up hoses on Jan. 2 found crackling, red-hot coals in the dirt and warned colleagues that a more thorough mop-up was needed.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2026

People who have Starlinks don’t let it be known and only upload videos to people they trust, he said over his crackling and distorted Starlink connection.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 13, 2026

The camera cuts to Elizabeth’s actual surroundings: a New York City apartment, where the radiator clacks and hisses in place of a crackling fire, and the view is brick, not snow-dusted pasture.

From Salon • Dec. 25, 2025

On a crackling night in Glasgow, substitute Kieran Tierney found the net from outside the box to restore the home side's lead in the 93rd minute.

From Barron's • Nov. 18, 2025

The two children and the dragon in human skin stood around the crackling fire.

From Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack