# crumble

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈkɹʌmbəl/ · frequency rank #19,802

## Definitions
1. To fall apart; to disintegrate.
2. To break into crumbs.
3. To mix (ingredients such as flour and butter) in such a way as to form crumbs.

## Etymology
From earlier crymble, crimble, from Middle English *crymblen, kremelen, from Old English *crymlan (“to crumble”), from *crymel (“a small crumb; crumble”), diminutive of Old English cruma (“crumb”), equivalent to crumb + -le (diminutive suffix). Compare Dutch kruimelen (“to crumble”), German Low German krömmeln (“to crumble”), German Krümel, diminutive of German Krume, German krümeln, krümmeln (“to crumble”). Alteration of vowel due to analogy with crumb.

## Easily confused with
- **crumbs** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crumble-vs-crumbs)
- **crumpled** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crumble-vs-crumpled)
- **crumb** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crumb-vs-crumble)
- **crucible** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crucible-vs-crumble)

## Common misspellings (11)
`ccrumble`, `crmuble`, `crrumble`, `crubmle`, `crumbble`, `crumbel`, `crumblle`, `crumlbe`, `crummble`, `curmble`, `rcumble`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/crumble