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

In hindsight, the breadcrumbs were there that Lamar, even if in uniform, possibly wouldn’t be starting. —Andrew McCarty, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025

This savory dressing is made with mushrooms, the holy trinity (green bell peppers, onions, and celery), buttery breadcrumbs, and of course, juicy oysters. —Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 23 Oct. 2025

Throughout history, cultures have left behind a trail of breadcrumbs for archaeologists to follow. —Real-Time News Team, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2025

Just don’t use any breadcrumbs from preseason basketball as hard evidence to draw meaningful conclusions. —Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 14 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1529, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for breadcrumb

• become
• checksum
• humdrum
• income
• outcome
• succumb
• therefrom
• wherefrom
• abomasum
• bum
• chum
• come