breadcrumb

noun

bread·​crumb ˈbred-ˌkrəm 

variants or bread crumb

plural breadcrumbs or bread crumbs

1

: a small fragment or crumb of bread

left breadcrumbs all over the table

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over a medium heat—it's at the correct temperature when a breadcrumb dropped into the hot oil sizzles and turns light golden.

—Bre Graham

especially : a fragment of stale, hard, or dried bread that has been crushed or ground for use in cooking

Meatballs are often made with breadcrumbs, which help bind the meat and other ingredients together …

—Lauren Salkeld

A sprinkling of bread crumbs or grated cheese, and dots of butter, help to form a light brown covering … over the sauce.

—Simone Beck et al.

2

: something (such as a hint or clue) that serves to lead or guide

Spotting a couple of gas planets in another solar system is not the triumphant discovery that detecting an Earthlike atmosphere on a rocky exoplanet would be, but it is an important bread crumb in the search for life in the universe.

—Marina Koren

… I love how the movie drops breadcrumbs to support the conclusion that Kris Kringle is, or isn't, the real Santa.

—Odie Henderson

Heading into the final day of the team's offseason program, little remains known about the Seahawks' offense. … But over the past few weeks, players and coaches have raved about the play caller and in the process left a trail of bread crumbs hinting at what to expect.

—Corbin K. Smith

Examples of breadcrumb in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The clams casino, despite my adoration for baked clams, was a little too heavy on the breadcrumbs, and didn’t have anything particularly memorable about them. —Kaitlyn Rosati, New York Daily News, 18 Dec. 2024

Panko breadcrumbs give the coating crunch, and Parmesan cheese adds a nutty flavor. —Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 18 Dec. 2024

Here, breadcrumbs are laced with the core Caesar elements, then strewn over simple roasted broccoli and finished with a hailstorm of shredded Parm. —Scott Hocker, theweek, 26 Nov. 2024

My aunt brought a tray of braciole, a sumptuous roll of beef and breadcrumbs. —Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 20 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1529, in the meaning defined at sense 1