Crumbly
/ˈkrʌm.bli/noun
Easily broken into small pieces or crumbs.
Did you know?Crumbly comes from the same ancient root as *crumb*, and that root also connects to the idea of breaking or being broken into bits, which is why the word feels so physically fragile.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*krumbaz
“Bent, crooked, or broken into a bent shape”
Old English
OE
crymb
“A crumb or small fragment”
Middle English
ME
crum(b)ly
“Full of crumbs; easily reduced to crumbs”
Modern English
English
crumbly
“Easily broken into small pieces or crumbs”