crumb

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: a small fragment especially of something baked (such as bread)
b
: a porous aggregate of soil particles
2
: bit
a crumb of good news
3
: the soft part of bread
4
slang : a worthless person

crumb

2 of 2

verb

crumbed; crumbing; crumbs

transitive verb

1
: to break into crumbs
2
: to cover or thicken with crumbs
3
: to remove crumbs from
crumb a table

Examples of crumb in a Sentence

Noun He swept the crumbs from under the table. a neglected dog who is desperate for any crumb of affection he might get from strangers
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The classic chocolate Oreo cookies sandwich a layer of chocolate creme and wafer crumbs. Sabrina Weiss, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024 Behind them, families strolled beside the park’s canal, mostly minding their own business and tossing crumbs to ducks. Danielle Paquette, Washington Post, 29 Feb. 2024 Most popular are the Dutch apple, with its crunchy, buttery crumb topping, and Key lime that packs a refreshing tart punch. Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 18 Feb. 2024 The vacuum’s 20 volts of power snatch up dust, dirt, crumbs, and more from hard floors and carpets. Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 22 Feb. 2024 Sour cream can be swapped for the yogurt and will give you a finer crumb. Genevieve Ko, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Feb. 2024 There are more than two dozen to choose from, including beauties like cherry crumb, Tennessee lemon and lattice-top apple. Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 18 Feb. 2024 Each crumb represents a piece of information, a chance encounter or a small win that, when accumulated and actively pursued, can ultimately lead to success. Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino, Forbes, 15 Feb. 2024 Lemon Quinoa Cake Quinoa replaces flour in this lemony cake, providing both a tender crumb and a nutritional boost. Anna Rodriguez, Washington Post, 14 Feb. 2024
Verb
Blitz panko bread crumbs in a food processor until finely ground. Andrea Weigl, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 Cutlets are dipped successively in the flour, then the egg, then crumbs Step 3. Liv Dansky, Southern Living, 26 Nov. 2023 The New Orleans Sewage and Water Board has since made headlines for its crumbing infrastructure. Essence, 10 Nov. 2023 The world’s post–World War II nuclear nonproliferation commitments are crumbing. Pamela S. Falk, Foreign Affairs, 4 Apr. 2017 For those unfamiliar with German cuisine, Wiener schnitzel is crumbed veal and Blutwurst is blood sausage. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 15 Sep. 2023 Amtrak filed a lawsuit in federal court last week to acquire four properties in West Baltimore so the national passenger railroad can go ahead with a $6 billion plan to replace a crumbing, winding tunnel with a new 4-mile stretch of track and new tunnel. Giacomo Bologna, Baltimore Sun, 14 Aug. 2023 The Shark Rocket Deluxe Pro stick vacuum is a cleaning tool that makes pet hair, dirt, and crumbs easy things to remove from floors and furniture. Carly Totten, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 July 2023 Serve the cooked chicken with tostada shells topped with refried beans, avocado, and crumbed queso fresco. Kristy Alpert, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'crumb.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English crumme, from Old English cruma; akin to Middle High German krume crumb

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of crumb was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near crumb

Cite this Entry

“Crumb.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crumb. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

crumb

1 of 2 noun
1
: a small piece especially of something baked (as bread)
2
: a little bit
a crumb of good news

crumb

2 of 2 verb
1
: to break into crumbs : crumble
2
: to cover or thicken with crumbs

Biographical Definition

Crumb

biographical name

George Henry 1929–     American composer

More from Merriam-Webster on crumb

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