crispy critter
Fire's charred casualty
Crispy critter is dark slang for a burn victim, especially someone killed by fire or explosion.
The term originated among American soldiers in Vietnam for napalm casualties and spread to firefighters and emergency responders.
The grim humor deflects horror through absurdity: The car was totaled and the driver was a crispy critter.
The phrase also names a breakfast cereal mascot, which predates the slang.
- scorcherExtremely hot day
- roastedCooked uncovered with heat
- charredBurned until black
- singedSuperficially burned
- burntDamaged by heat
incinerated · fire victim · well done · smoldering · ashen · overcooked · deep fried · casualty · depleted · overwhelmed · Vietnam · friendly fire · war casualty · collateral damage · napalm · zapped · fried · seared
- Hospital Slangstat, code blue, frequent flyer, circling the drain, turf