crust

Where does the word "crust" come from? It comes from Latin crusta, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

Crust’s story begins in Latin: crusta meant “shell, crust.” The root of 'crustacean'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as crouste. The hard outer part of bread. It reached English by 1300s as crust. Earth's 'crust' dates from the 1500s. Today, crust means the hard outer layer of bread.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient crusta "shell, crust", the root of 'crustacean'.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval crouste "crust", the hard outer part of bread.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s crust "bread crust", Earth's 'crust' dates from the 1500s.