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

These are the crumbs that map The Creature’s only path toward humanity, however briefly he’s allowed to walk it.

Read more on Salon

Seidel picked up a few crumbs of dirt and tossed them at a window.

Read more on Literature

You avoid leaving crumbs, clean up more frequently, and at worst, call the pest control, so you can go on about your life.

Read more on MarketWatch

There are no demarcations along this part of the line yet - a soldier points it out to me, taking bearings from a small patch of sand between the grey crumbs of demolished buildings.

Read more on BBC

A scattering of hazelnuts adds a buttery crunch, and I finish the tops with a light dusting of toasted Panko crumbs.

Read more on Salon