crisp

American  

[krisp] / krɪsp /

adjective

crisper, crispest

1. (especially of food) hard but easily breakable; brittle.

   crisp toast.

2. (especially of food) firm and fresh; not soft or wilted.

   a crisp leaf of lettuce.

3. brisk; sharp; clear; decided.

   a crisp reply.

4. lively; pithy; sparkling.

   crisp repartee.

5. clean-cut, neat, and well-pressed; well-groomed.

6. invigorating; bracing.

   crisp air.

   Synonyms:

   nippy, fresh, brisk

7. crinkled, wrinkled, or rippled, as skin or water.

8. in small, stiff, or firm curls; curly.

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verb (used with or without object)

crisps, present (3rd person singular) crisped, past participle, past crisping present participle

1. to make or become crisp.

2. to curl.

noun

1. Chiefly British. potato chip.

2. Cooking. a dessert of fruit, as apples or apricots, baked with a crunchy mixture, usually of breadcrumbs, chopped nutmeats, butter, and brown sugar.

crisp British  

/ krɪsp /

adjective

1. dry and brittle

2. fresh and firm

   crisp lettuce

3. invigorating or bracing

   a crisp breeze

4. clear; sharp

   crisp reasoning

5. lively or stimulating

   crisp conversation

6. clean and orderly; neat

   a crisp appearance

7. concise and pithy; terse

   a crisp reply

8. wrinkled or curly

   crisp hair

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verb

1. to make or become crisp

noun

1. a very thin slice of potato fried and eaten cold as a snack

2. something that is crisp

crisp Idioms  

1. see burn to a cinder (crisp).

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• crispness
  noun
• crisply
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• crisping
  present
• crisped
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• crisp
  simple
• crisps
  simple
• have crisped
  perfect
• has crisped
  perfect
• are crisping
  progressive
• am crisping
  progressive
• is crisping
  progressive
• have been crisping
  perfect progressive
• has been crisping
  perfect progressive

Past

• crisped
  simple
• had crisped
  perfect
• was crisping
  progressive
• were crisping
  progressive
• had been crisping
  perfect progressive

Future

• will crisp
  simple
• will have crisped
  perfect
• will be crisping
  progressive
• will have been crisping
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of crisp

First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English, from Latin crispus “curled”

Explanation

Something that's crisp is thin, dry, and breakable. Unless they're stale, most crackers are crisp. Gingersnaps are crisp, and so is toast — in fact, crisp often describes food, although crunchy snow and dry, brown leaves are also crisp. To crisp something is to cook or dry it until it's brittle, and when a voice is crisp, it's abrupt and no-nonsense. A crisp fall morning is fresh and cold. In Old English, crisp meant "curly," from the Latin crispus, "curled." The "brittle" definition is probably imitative, the word sounding like its meaning.

Example Sentences

Crisp it up — in the oven or air fryer — until it turns deeply golden and audibly crackly.

From Salon • Apr. 26, 2026

Crisp cookies soften into clouds of lightly sweetened cream, layered with jam or mascarpone, until the whole thing collapses just enough to make slicing with a butter knife feel like a small act of rebellion.

From Salon • Dec. 18, 2025

Toffee Crisp and Blue Riband bars can no longer be called chocolate after maker Nestle changed their recipes.

From BBC • Dec. 10, 2025

Starbucks sends them occasional prompts to post on coming promotions, such as the return of Apple Crisp syrup.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 2, 2025

Crisp bags don't fly far and it just landed on Robin South in the row behind.

From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell

Related Words

• crispy
• crumbly
• crusty
• fresh
• plump