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

Get The Recipe 19 of 20 Oyster Casserole This classic Southern casserole wins you over with its creamy Parmesan sauce and buttery breadcrumbs. —Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 9 Sep. 2024

This recipe uses that classic technique, swapping out breadcrumbs for instant stuffing. —Jesse Szewczyk, Bon Appétit, 7 Sep. 2024

But privacy experts say third-party companies could piece together breadcrumbs of data from hospital website users that could ultimately reveal patients' health information to data brokers and advertisers. —Tina Reed, Axios, 5 Sep. 2024

For people in relationships, those breadcrumbs can become a sign of infidelity — real or perceived. —Tatum Hunter, Washington Post, 26 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1529, in the meaning defined at sense 1