Crispus
/ˈkrɪs.pəs/noun
A Latin cognomen meaning “curly” or “curled,” also borne by a 4th-century Roman official.
Did you know?*Crispus* comes from the same ancient Indo-European root behind English *crisp*, *crease*, and *crinkle*—all words that began as ideas of bending, folding, or curling.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sker-
“to bend, turn, or curve”
Latin
Latin
crispus
“curly, curled, wrinkled”
Late Latin
Latin
Crispus
“a Roman personal name or cognomen, originally describing curly hair”
Old French
Old French
crisp
“curling, crisp, frizzed”
Middle English
English
crisp
“curly, brittle, firm, or fresh”
Modern English
English
crisp
“firm, brittle, or pleasantly fresh”