crumb

Tiny baked fragment

A crumb is a small fragment that breaks off from bread, cake, crackers, or similar dry foods: She brushed the crumbs from the table.

Figuratively, a crumb is any tiny bit: a crumb of comfort, crumbs of information.

To crumb is to coat food in breadcrumbs before frying.

In slang, a crumb is a contemptible person—someone worthless or unpleasant.

fragment

bit

Small amount or portion

pieceA portion or segment
speckMinute visible particle
fleckMinute spot or particle

particle · morsel · scrap · sliver · snippet · shred · remnant · grain · mote · trace

comfort

solace

Relief from distress

consolationComfort during distress
reassuranceWords meant to calm
reliefEasing of distress

hope · encouragement · glimmer · hint · token · gesture · offering · morsel · scrap · small

leftover

remnant

What stays after most goes

residueMatter left behind
scrapsSmall remaining pieces
staleNo longer fresh

discard · debris · detritus · litter · waste · mess · scatter · trail · fallen · swept

bread

crust

Hard outer layer

toastHeated bread; glass-raising honor
pastryButtery baked dough
cakeFrosted baked dessert

muffin · biscuit · scone · croissant · cookie · cracker · baguette · loaf · sourdough · cornbread

insignificant

trivial

Lacking significance or weight

minorScale with lowered third
inconsequentialLacking significance or impact
triflingOf no real importance

insubstantial · unimportant · marginal · piddling · nominal · token · worthless · meager · scant · pittance

tiny

minuscule

Extremely small in size

infinitesimalQuantity approaching zero
microscopicToo small for eyes
minuteSixtieth of an hour

teensy · wee · bitty · diminutive · small · petite · negligible · slight · meager · paltry

Categories

bread qualitiesfresh, stale, soft, crusty, crispy
Informal Amountssmidgen, bunch, ton, heap, loads
Insignificant thingstrivial, minor, small, tiny, negligible
remnantsremnant, residue, leftover, remainder, vestige
smallnesssmall, little, tiny, mini, miniature
tiny amountsbit, drop, hint, dash, dot

Opposites

size/quantity

crumbmass

Quantity of matter

heap · pile · loaf · mountain · abundance

MORAL CHARACTER (slang)

crumbsaint

Canonized holy person

hero · heroine · mensch · gentleman · lady

Phrases

bread crumbsDried, ground loaf pieces
apple crumbleBaked fruit under streusel
cookie crumbsBroken treat fragments
cake crumbsTiny baked-good pieces
crumb cakePastry with crumbly topping
crumb toppingTextured baked-good coating

Family

crumble, crumbs, crumbling, crumbly, crumbled, crumbles, breadcrumbs, crumbed, crumbing

Familiarity: Top 5,000
Profile: Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G