adjective
-
having or characterized by a crust, esp having a thick crust
-
having a rude or harsh character or exterior; surly; curt
a crusty remark
noun
Other Word Forms
- crustily adverb
- crustiness noun
Etymology
Origin of crusty
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at crust, -y 1
Explanation
The adjective crusty is good for describing something that is crisp on the outside, like a loaf of French bread. You can describe something with a crunchy outer layer and a softer inside as crusty, but you can also use the word to mean "crabby" or "ill-tempered." Your mean old neighbor who yells at kids to get off his lawn is crusty, for example. While the literal meaning is older, this "cranky or surly" meaning has been around since the 1500s. The root of both is the Latin crusta, "rind, crust, shell or bark."
Vocabulary lists containing crusty
Out of the Dust
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The Secret Garden
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When I Was the Greatest
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Contrary to the crusty, chaotic libertinism of their shows, the band is disarmingly sweet and funny in person despite being duly crude.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026
“The greens are already getting firm, crusty, and bouncy.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
There is no proven link between the "uniquely colourful and crusty" speeches of former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte and the murders he is accused of, his defence lawyer told the International Criminal Court on Thursday.
From Barron's • Feb. 26, 2026
At first, it was the basics: crusty rounds, lean baguettes, rustic grainy loaves, the kind of bread that made a meal stretch.
From Salon • Feb. 5, 2026
There was a smear of blood from when she'd cut her hand on her bed—and something crusty on the shoulder, probably snot from all that crying.
From "Eleanor & Park" by Rainbow Rowell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
