1
: a manger for feeding animals
2
: an enclosure especially of framework: such as
a
: a stall for a stabled animal
b
: a small child's bedstead with high enclosing usually slatted sides
c
: any of various devices resembling a crate or framework in structure
d
: a building for storage : bin
4
: the cards discarded in cribbage for the dealer to use in scoring
5
a
: a small theft
b
c
: a literal translation
especially
: pony sense 3
d
: a summary and key to understanding a literary work
e
: something used for cheating in an examination
6
cribbed; cribbing
2
: to provide with or put into a crib
especially
: to line or support with a framework of timber
3
: pilfer, steal
especially
: plagiarize
1
a
: steal, plagiarize
b
: to use a crib : cheat
2
: to have the vice of cribbing
cribber
noun
Examples of crib in a Sentence
Verb
She cribbed a line or two from her favorite poet.
students cribbing off each other's papers
Recent Examples on the Web
Maya Polton, Parents, 29 Mar. 2024
The music mogul’s seven bedroom, eight bathroom waterfront crib was built in 2002.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2024
Officers found Garcia dead in her bedroom, stabbed over 40 times, next to a crib where the baby was found unharmed.
—David K. Li, NBC News, 8 Feb. 2024
Even a crib with a more compact profile is still going to take up quite a bit of valuable floor space, so prioritize options with under-crib storage.
—Maryal Miller Carter, USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2024
The first item on her list was a light-toned wooden crib.
—Melissa Rohman, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2024
At the minimum, your child will likely need a stroller or baby carrier to get around, a car seat for car trips and a safe place to sleep, like a portable crib.
—Emily Siner, NPR, 5 Mar. 2024
This was all from imagination, of course—because her real memory about the sterile room of cribs was just not very pleasant, and who doesn’t want to make life better for one’s little sisters?
—Lizz Schumer, Peoplemag, 12 Feb. 2024
Conversely, a too-loose diaper will fall off easily or lead to frequent crib mattress leaks or blowouts.
—Chaunie Brusie, Rn, Parents, 10 Mar. 2024
Evan Moffitt, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2024
Last year, Morocco complained that Algeria was trying to steal its bridal dress, when one of Algeria’s nomination files reportedly cribbed a caftan from Fez.
—Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2024
Musgraves is surely the only artist, country or otherwise, who is making records eclectic enough to crib ancient Scottish folk melodies on one song and interpolate a hook from rapper JID on the next.
—Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2024
Another obvious one cribbed from the 10th-gen iPad.
—Sheena Vasani, The Verge, 9 Mar. 2024
After the initial obituary went live, other scammers probably cribbed bits of it, mixing in additional information taken from social media, my Times bio and elsewhere to create new versions of the same story.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2024
To crib from a tired cliche, Feinstein was a workhorse, not a show horse.
—George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2023
In fact, no small portion of the Royal Swedish Academy’s technical backgrounder (PDF) released to the media this morning could have also been cribbed from this in-depth Spectrum consideration of nearly a quarter-century ago.
—Tekla S. Perry, IEEE Spectrum, 4 Oct. 2023
Most shows will start earlier than later, cribbing from a facet that’s made Concerts on the Dock appealing.
—Matt Wake | Mwake@al.com, al, 1 Sep. 2023
Noun
Made from sustainable materials, five of the six unique and stylish cribs convert from a mini crib to a full-sized crib to a toddler bed (one converts from a crib to a toddler bed), and every crib comes with a conversion kit.
—Maya Polton, Parents, 29 Mar. 2024
The music mogul’s seven bedroom, eight bathroom waterfront crib was built in 2002.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2024
Officers found Garcia dead in her bedroom, stabbed over 40 times, next to a crib where the baby was found unharmed.
—David K. Li, NBC News, 8 Feb. 2024
Even a crib with a more compact profile is still going to take up quite a bit of valuable floor space, so prioritize options with under-crib storage.
—Maryal Miller Carter, USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2024
The first item on her list was a light-toned wooden crib.
—Melissa Rohman, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2024
At the minimum, your child will likely need a stroller or baby carrier to get around, a car seat for car trips and a safe place to sleep, like a portable crib.
—Emily Siner, NPR, 5 Mar. 2024
This was all from imagination, of course—because her real memory about the sterile room of cribs was just not very pleasant, and who doesn’t want to make life better for one’s little sisters?
—Lizz Schumer, Peoplemag, 12 Feb. 2024
Conversely, a too-loose diaper will fall off easily or lead to frequent crib mattress leaks or blowouts.
—Chaunie Brusie, Rn, Parents, 10 Mar. 2024
Verb
At once biomorphic and industrial, the Side Chair is now endlessly cribbed and reinterpreted, showing up in high-end restaurants and Brooklyn townhouses.
—Evan Moffitt, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2024
Last year, Morocco complained that Algeria was trying to steal its bridal dress, when one of Algeria’s nomination files reportedly cribbed a caftan from Fez.
—Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2024
Musgraves is surely the only artist, country or otherwise, who is making records eclectic enough to crib ancient Scottish folk melodies on one song and interpolate a hook from rapper JID on the next.
—Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2024
Another obvious one cribbed from the 10th-gen iPad.
—Sheena Vasani, The Verge, 9 Mar. 2024
After the initial obituary went live, other scammers probably cribbed bits of it, mixing in additional information taken from social media, my Times bio and elsewhere to create new versions of the same story.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2024
To crib from a tired cliche, Feinstein was a workhorse, not a show horse.
—George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2023
In fact, no small portion of the Royal Swedish Academy’s technical backgrounder (PDF) released to the media this morning could have also been cribbed from this in-depth Spectrum consideration of nearly a quarter-century ago.
—Tekla S. Perry, IEEE Spectrum, 4 Oct. 2023
Most shows will start earlier than later, cribbing from a facet that’s made Concerts on the Dock appealing.
—Matt Wake | Mwake@al.com, al, 1 Sep. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'crib.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English, from Old English cribb; akin to Old High German krippa manger, and perhaps to Greek griphos reed basket
First Known Use
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
1605, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of crib was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing crib
Articles Related to crib
Dictionary Entries Near crib
Cite this Entry
“Crib.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crib. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
crib
1 of 2 noun1
: a manger for feeding animals
2
: a small bed frame with high sides for a child
3
: a bin or building for storing grain
4
: the cards discarded in cribbage for the dealer to use in scoring
5
a
b
: something used for cheating on a test
crib
2 of 2 verb
cribbed; cribbing
1
: to copy (as an idea or piece of writing) and use as one's own : plagiarize
2
: to use a translation or notes dishonestly
cribber
noun
Medical Definition
crib
noun1
: a manger for feeding animals
2
a
: a stall for a stabled animal
b
: a small child's bedstead with high enclosing usually slatted sides
More from Merriam-Webster on crib
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for crib
Nglish: Translation of crib for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of crib for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about crib
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