n.
Pronunciation: ' kr ə st
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin crusta; akin to Old English hr ū se earth, Greek kryos icy cold, krystallos ice, crystal
Date: 14th century
1 a : the hardened exterior or surface part of bread b : a piece of this or of bread grown dry or hard
2 : the pastry cover of a pie
3 : a hard or brittle external coat or covering: as a : a hard surface layer (as of soil or snow) b : the outer part of a planet, moon, or asteroid composed essentially of crystalline rocks c : a deposit built up on the interior surface of a wine bottle during long aging d : an encrusting deposit of dried secretions or exudate especially : SCAB
4 : GALL , NERVE
– crust verb
– crust · al \ ' kr ə s-t ə l \ adjective
– crust · less \ ' kr ə s(t)-l ə s \ adjective