adjective

crusty

KRUHS-tee

Crusty (adjective) means having a hard, crisp outer layer, especially bread. Example: “She bought a warm, crusty baguette from the bakery.”

adjective

Having a hard, crisp outer layer, especially bread.

"She bought a warm, crusty baguette from the bakery."

Grumpy or short-tempered, often in an old, curmudgeonly way.

"The crusty old professor grumbled about the noisy students."

How to use crusty

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishDescribes bread with a firm, crisp crust, or informally, someone who is gruff but not necessarily unkind underneath.

Common pairings

crusty bread crusty old man

Word forms

crustier comparative, crusties plural, crustiest superlative

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She bought a warm, _____ baguette from the bakery.

Etymology

From Middle English, equivalent to crust + -y.

Origin: Middle English

Rhymes for crusty

rusty busty dusty musty lusty trusty

See all rhymes for crusty →

Frequently asked questions

What does “crusty” mean?

The word “crusty” means having a hard, crisp outer layer, especially bread. In plain terms, describes bread with a firm, crisp crust, or informally, someone who is gruff but not necessarily unkind underneath.

How do you pronounce “crusty”?

“Crusty” is pronounced KRUHS-tee (/ˈkɹʌsti/ in IPA).

How do you use “crusty” in a sentence?

Here is “crusty” used in a sentence: “She bought a warm, crusty baguette from the bakery.”

What part of speech is “crusty”?

“Crusty” is an adjective.

How many meanings does “crusty” have?

“Crusty” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: having a hard, crisp outer layer, especially bread.