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

Three shallow bowls: one with flour, another with beaten egg, the third with breadcrumbs. —Yotam Ottolenghi, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024

There are some puzzling materials-science breadcrumbs wrapped throughout the AARO report. —Garrett M. Graff, WIRED, 11 Mar. 2024

Replace the amount of breadcrumbs called for in a recipe with twice the amount of oats. —Micah A Leal, Southern Living, 25 Mar. 2024

But Joe Jackson is out of the picture by 1992, when Nottage’s script sprinkles a few breadcrumbs that Michael Jackson is headed for disaster. —Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Mar. 2024

Part of what makes Pace’s book so refreshing is that the author is uninterested in finding, or inventing, breadcrumb trails that point to an artist’s sexuality, or assembling an alternative taxonomy of LGBTQ+ anthems. —Owen Myers, Pitchfork, 29 Feb. 2024

Yet between its plot-point breadcrumbs is an inherent relatability embedded in Taylor's never-better introspection. —Allaire Nuss, EW.com, 6 Feb. 2024

Dig out the panko to create a golden breadcrumb topping that can turn an okay dish into an event. —Washington Post, 19 Jan. 2024

Sunflower seeds, almonds, and sesame seeds are all great breadcrumb alternatives. —Micah A Leal, Southern Living, 25 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1529, in the meaning defined at sense 1