breadcrumb

== English == === Alternative forms === bread crumb === Etymology === From bread +‎ crumb. The computing and figurative senses allude to the German fairy tale Hansel and Gretel, where Hansel leaves a trail of breadcrumbs to find the way back home when venturing into the woods. === Pronunciation === (US) IPA(key): /ˈbɹɛdˌkɹʌm/ === Noun === breadcrumb (plural breadcrumbs) (chiefly in the plural) A tiny piece of bread, either one that falls from bread as it is cut or eaten, or one made deliberately by crumbling bread. Coordinate term: cracker meal (graphical user interface, chiefly in the plural) A single link in a chain indicating the hierarchical location of a directory, web page or similar, used as a navigation aid. (programming, chiefly in the plural) A fragment of data that serves to log the actions taken by a program, used in debugging. (figuratively, in the plural) One in a series of clues leading to a person or place. ==== Synonyms ==== (tiny piece of bread): crumb ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== ==== See also ==== (computing senses): cookie (element that helps track things digitally) === Verb === breadcrumb (third-person singular simple present breadcrumbs, present participle breadcrumbing, simple past and past participle breadcrumbed) (transitive, cooking) To sprinkle breadcrumbs on to food, normally before cooking. (graphical user interface, intransitive) To add navigational breadcrumbs to (a web page or user interface). To use clues or enticements to lead someone in the desired direction. ==== Derived terms ==== breadcrumb up ==== Translations ====