Standard Lemma guide

crust

noun · verb · 18 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /kɹʌst/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Northern-England: /kɹʊst/
  • rhymes with -ʌst
  • CMU ARPABET: K R AH1 S T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A more solid, dense or hard layer on a surface or boundary.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The external, hardened layer of certain foodstuffs, including most types of bread, fried meat, etc.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

An outer layer composed of pastry

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

The bread-like base of a pizza.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A slice of bread cut from the end of a loaf; the heel.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New-Zealand, Northern-US, UK, countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

The outermost layer of the lithosphere of the Earth.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: geography, geology, natural-sciences

Examples

  • Holonyms: lithosphere < Earth

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

The outermost layer of the lithosphere of any terrestrial planet.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: broadly, countable, uncountable

Topics: astronomy, natural-sciences

Examples

  • Holonyms: lithosphere < planet

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

The shell of crabs, lobsters, etc.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

A living.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Australia, UK, countable, informal, uncountable

Examples

  • to earn one's crust

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: daily bread, income, livelihood

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

Nerve, gall.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal, uncountable

Examples

  • You've got a lot of crust standing there saying that.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

noun

Meaning 11

The head.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Australia, UK, countable, dated, slang, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

noun

Meaning 12

Ellipsis of crust punk, a subgenre of punk music.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, countable, ellipsis, uncountable

Topics: entertainment, lifestyle, music

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

13

verb

Meaning 13

To cover with a crust.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

14

verb

Meaning 14

To form a crust.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • , The Goblin Reign Boxed Set Thistle held her hand over the wound and pressed a wad of tree moss against it. "Don't move," she said. "Let it crust."

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

15

noun

Meaning 15

the trait of being rude and impertinent; inclined to take liberties

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: gall, impertinence, impudence, insolence, cheekiness, freshness

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: discourtesy, rudeness

Narrower terms: chutzpa, chutzpah, hutzpah

16

noun

Meaning 16

the outer layer of the Earth

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: Earth's crust

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: layer

Narrower terms: horst, plate, crustal plate

17

noun

Meaning 17

a hard outer layer that covers something

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: incrustation, encrustation

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: covering, natural covering, cover

Narrower terms: tartar, calculus, tophus

18

verb

Meaning 18

form a crust or form into a crust

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The bread crusted in the oven

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change surface

History

Etymology

From Middle English cruste, from Anglo-Norman and Old French cruste, from Latin crusta (“hard outer covering”), from Proto-Indo-European *krustós (“hardened”), from *krews- (“to form a crust, begin to freeze”), related to Old Norse hroðr (“scurf”), Old English hruse (“earth”), Old High German hrosa (“crust, ice”), Latvian kruvesis (“frozen mud”), Ancient Greek κρύος (krúos, “frost, icy cold”), κρύσταλλος (krústallos, “crystal, ice”), Avestan 𐬑𐬭𐬎𐬰𐬛𐬭𐬀- (xruzdra-, “hard”), Sanskrit क्रूड् (krūḍ, “thicken, make hard”). Doublet of crusta.

Across languages

Translations

151 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: կեղեւ (keġew) — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Bashkir: ҡыртыш (qırtış) — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Belarusian: скары́нка (skarýnka) — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Belarusian: ко́рка (kórka) — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Bulgarian: кора́ (korá) — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Catalan: crosta — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Czech: kůra — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Dutch: korst — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Esperanto: krusto — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Finnish: kuori — any solid, hard surface layer
  • French: croûte — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Galician: codia — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Galician: crosta — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Galician: lastra — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Galician: arna — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Galician: talo — any solid, hard surface layer
  • German: Kruste — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Greek: φλοιός (floiós) — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Greek: επίπαγος (epípagos) — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Hindi: छिलका (chilkā) — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Hungarian: héj — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Hungarian: burok — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Icelandic: skorpa — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Ido: krusto — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Ingrian: koori — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Italian: crosta — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Latin: crusta — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Maltese: qoxra — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Norman: crôte — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Norwegian Bokmål: skare — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Norwegian Bokmål: skorpe — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Old English: rind — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Portuguese: crosta — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Russian: ко́рка (kórka) — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Serbo-Croatian: ко̏ра — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Serbo-Croatian: kȍra — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Sicilian: crusta — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Slovene: skorja — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Lower Sorbian: škóra — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Spanish: costra — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Swedish: skorpa — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Swedish: skare — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Ukrainian: кора́ (korá) — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Ukrainian: скори́нка (skorýnka) — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Ukrainian: скори́на (skorýna) — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Urdu: چھِلْکا (chilkā) — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Urdu: پوسْت (post) — any solid, hard surface layer
  • Catalan: crosta — outer layer composed of pastry
  • Finnish: kuori — outer layer composed of pastry
  • Ido: krusto — outer layer composed of pastry
  • Polish: skórka — outer layer composed of pastry
  • Portuguese: crosta — outer layer composed of pastry
  • Spanish: repulgue — outer layer composed of pastry
  • Spanish: repulgo — outer layer composed of pastry
  • Walloon: crosse — outer layer composed of pastry
  • Catalan: massa — bread foundation of pizza
  • Chinese Mandarin: 比薩外皮 /比萨外皮 (bǐsà wàipí) — bread foundation of pizza
  • Finnish: pohja — bread foundation of pizza
  • Finnish: pizzapohja — bread foundation of pizza
  • Ido: krusto — bread foundation of pizza
  • Japanese: ピザクラスト (piza kurasuto) — bread foundation of pizza
  • Korean: 피자 크러스트 (pija keureoseuteu) — bread foundation of pizza
  • Polish: skórka — bread foundation of pizza
  • Portuguese: massa — bread foundation of pizza
  • Russian: ко́рочка (kóročka) — bread foundation of pizza
  • Russian: ко́рка (kórka) — bread foundation of pizza
  • Spanish: pan — bread foundation of pizza
  • Spanish: corteza — bread foundation of pizza
  • Spanish: repulgue — bread foundation of pizza
  • Spanish: repulgo — bread foundation of pizza
  • Ukrainian: скори́нка (skorýnka) — bread foundation of pizza
  • Albanian: kore — outermost layer of a planet
  • Arabic: قِشْرَة (qišra) — outermost layer of a planet
  • Armenian: երկրակեղեւ (erkrakeġew) — outermost layer of a planet
  • Bashkir: ҡыртыш (qırtış) — outermost layer of a planet
  • Belarusian: кара́ (kará) — outermost layer of a planet
  • Bulgarian: кора́ (korá) — outermost layer of a planet
  • Catalan: escorça — outermost layer of a planet
  • Chinese Mandarin: 地殼 /地壳 (dìqiào) — outermost layer of a planet
  • Czech: kůra — outermost layer of a planet
  • Danish: skorpe — outermost layer of a planet
  • Dutch: korst — outermost layer of a planet
  • Esperanto: terkrusto — outermost layer of a planet
  • Finnish: kuori — outermost layer of a planet
  • French: croûte — outermost layer of a planet
  • French: écorce — outermost layer of a planet
  • Galician: codia — outermost layer of a planet
  • Galician: cortiza — outermost layer of a planet
  • Georgian: ქერქი (kerki) — outermost layer of a planet
  • German: Kruste — outermost layer of a planet
  • Greek: φλοιός (floiós) — outermost layer of a planet
  • Hindi: भूपर्पटी (bhūparpaṭī) — outermost layer of a planet
  • Hindi: पर्पटी (parpaṭī) — outermost layer of a planet
  • Hungarian: köpeny — outermost layer of a planet
  • Hungarian: földkéreg — outermost layer of a planet
  • Ido: krusto — outermost layer of a planet
  • Irish: screamh — outermost layer of a planet
  • Italian: crosta — outermost layer of a planet
  • Japanese: 地殻 (chikaku) — outermost layer of a planet
  • Korean: 지각 (jigak) — outermost layer of a planet
  • Lao: ຜິວໂລກ (phiu lōk) — outermost layer of a planet
  • Macedonian: кора (kora) — outermost layer of a planet
  • Manx: bleayst — outermost layer of a planet
  • Māori: kirinuku — outermost layer of a planet
  • Norwegian Bokmål: skorpe — outermost layer of a planet
  • Norwegian Bokmål: jordskorpe — outermost layer of a planet
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: skorpe — outermost layer of a planet
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: jordskorpe — outermost layer of a planet
  • Iranian Persian: پوسْتِه (puste) — outermost layer of a planet
  • Plautdietsch: Ieedkjarscht — outermost layer of a planet
  • Polish: skorupa — outermost layer of a planet
  • Portuguese: crosta — outermost layer of a planet
  • Romanian: crustă — outermost layer of a planet
  • Russian: кора́ (korá) — outermost layer of a planet
  • Serbo-Croatian: ко̏ра — outermost layer of a planet
  • Serbo-Croatian: kȍra — outermost layer of a planet
  • Slovak: kôra — outermost layer of a planet
  • Slovene: skorja — outermost layer of a planet
  • Spanish: corteza — outermost layer of a planet
  • Swedish: skorpa — outermost layer of a planet
  • Swedish: jordskorpa — outermost layer of a planet
  • Tagalog: upak — outermost layer of a planet
  • Tagalog: upak ng Duta — outermost layer of a planet
  • Thai: เปลือกดาว — outermost layer of a planet
  • Thai: เปลือก (bplʉ̀ʉak) — outermost layer of a planet
  • Turkish: kabuk — outermost layer of a planet
  • Ukrainian: кора́ (korá) — outermost layer of a planet
  • Uzbek: qobiq — outermost layer of a planet
  • Vietnamese: lớp vỏ — outermost layer of a planet
  • Finnish: kuori — outer layer of crustacean
  • Russian: па́нцирь (páncirʹ) — outer layer of crustacean
  • Ukrainian: па́нцир (páncyr) — outer layer of crustacean
  • Ukrainian: черепа́шка (čerepáška) — outer layer of crustacean
  • Finnish: pokka — nerve, gall
  • Finnish: otsa — nerve, gall
  • Finnish: kantti — nerve, gall
  • Finnish: muna — nerve, gall
  • Bulgarian: покривам с кора (pokrivam s kora) — to cover with a crust
  • Catalan: encrostar — to cover with a crust
  • Esperanto: krustigi — to cover with a crust
  • Finnish: kuorruttaa — to cover with a crust
  • Finnish: kuorettaa — to cover with a crust
  • Finnish: tehdä kuori — to cover with a crust
  • Finnish: muodostaa kuori — to cover with a crust
  • Bulgarian: хващам кора (hvaštam kora) — to form a crust
  • Catalan: encrostar — to form a crust
  • Esperanto: krustiĝi — to form a crust
  • Finnish: kuortua — to form a crust
  • Finnish: kuorettua — to form a crust
  • Finnish: muodostua kuori — to form a crust
  • Ido: krusteskar — to form a crust
Real reading context

crust in complete knowledge articles