CRUSTY (crustier, crustiest)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected forms: crustier    , crustiest   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does crusty mean? 

• CRUSTY (adjective)
  The adjective CRUSTY has 2 senses:

1. having a hardened crust as a covering

2. brusque and surly and forbidding

  Familiarity information: CRUSTY used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CRUSTY (adjective)

Comparative: crustier   
Superlative: crustiest   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Having a hardened crust as a covering

Synonyms:

crusted; crustlike; crusty; encrusted

Similar:

covered (overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form)

Derivation:

crust (a hard outer layer that covers something)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Brusque and surly and forbidding

Synonyms:

crusty; curmudgeonly; gruff; ill-humored; ill-humoured

Context example:

a gruff reply

Similar:

ill-natured (having an irritable and unpleasant disposition)

Derivation:

crust (the trait of being rude and impertinent; inclined to take liberties)

 Context examples 

A form of dermatitis characterized by red, itchy, scaly, or crusty patches that can be chronic or intermittent.

(Eczema, NCI Thesaurus)

A group of conditions in which the skin becomes inflamed, forms blisters, and becomes crusty, thick, and scaly.

(Eczema, NCI Dictionary)

She has already said that she is willing to do anything honest she can do, answered Diana for me; and you know, St. John, she has no choice of helpers: she is forced to put up with such crusty people as you.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

He was kept, to be sure, rather cross and crusty; but on the whole I could see he was excellently entertained, and that a lamb-like submission and turtle-dove sensibility, while fostering his despotism more, would have pleased his judgment, satisfied his common-sense, and even suited his taste less.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)