crumb

[kruhm]

noun

1. a small particle of bread, cake, etc., that has broken off.

2. a small particle or portion of anything; fragment; bit.

   Synonyms: speck, sliver, morsel, shred, scrap

3. the soft inner portion of a bread (crust ).

4. crumbs, a cake topping made of sugar, flour, butter, and spice, usually crumbled on top of the raw batter and baked with the cake.

5. Slang.,  a contemptibly objectionable or worthless person.

verb (used with object)

1. Cooking.,  to dress or prepare with crumbs.

2. to break into crumbs or small fragments.

3. to remove crumbs from.

   The waiter crumbed the table.

crumb

/ krʌm /

noun

1. a small fragment of bread, cake, or other baked foods

2. a small piece or bit

   crumbs of information

3. the soft inner part of bread

4. slang,  a contemptible person

verb

1. (tr) to prepare or cover (food) with breadcrumbs

2. to break into small fragments

adjective

1. (esp of pie crusts) made with a mixture of biscuit crumbs, sugar, etc

Other Word Forms

• crumbable adjective
• crumber noun
• decrumb verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of crumb¹

before 1000; Middle English crome, crume, Old English cruma; akin to Dutch kruim, German Krume crumb, Latin grūmus heap of earth

Word History and Origins

Origin of crumb¹

Old English cruma; related to Middle Dutch krome, Middle High German krūme, Latin grūmus heap of earth

Example Sentences

She also mixes crumbled bacon and a few drops of black truffle oil to the dish before baking it with a thick layer of freshly chopped bread crumbs.

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Her face breaks into a smile as Woo jumps onto her shoulder and picks at the crumbs left in his mane of fur.

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He stood at the counter and shoved the food into his mouth like a starved animal, scattering crumbs over himself and the floor.

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Now she was hiding behind the portrait of Agatha Swanburne and would not come out, no matter how sweetly the children called or how many tasty pancake crumbs they offered on their fingertips.

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Cassiopeia swept up crumbs and leftover crusts of bread from the breakfast tray and tied them snugly in a linen square; with these she would tempt the birds close enough to be recognized.

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