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Glossary entry

English term or phrase:

crispy (as opposed to crisp)

English answer:

They are often used interchangeably - crispy for food 'made' crispy, crisp for a 'natural' state

Added to glossary by Christine Andersen
Jun 9, 2009 12:43
14 yrs ago
16 viewers *
English term

crispy (as opposed to crisp)

English Marketing Food & Drink Is this word really used by grown ups?
I keep running into this word 'crispy' when I would say crisp.

To me it sounds childish, and not the way I would describe salads or cheese biscuits in a gourmet context.

Crispy snacks for the youngsters if you like, but crisp vegetables, crisp praline with the dessert, ice cream with crisp wafers of chocolate ...

Some of my clients write their own menus and ask me to proof read them (and then we can discuss whether their restaurant French is better than mine or not....).

But although 'crispy' is in the dictionaries, it often sounds misplaced to me. I would accept it in a TV commercial, but not everywhere.

Am I behind the times?
Responses
4 +9 They are virtually interchangeable
5 +1 Crispy is a measurement, not as crisp as it could be.
3 +2 No
4 crunchy (as opposed to fresh)
References
Wordreference.com link

Discussion

Rachel Fell Jun 13, 2009:
Afterthought I think "crispy" things break with a higher note (e.g. types of biscuit), whereas "crisp" things can include starched linen, a much lower sound, although sometimes both are used interchangeably for various reasons... (doesn't mean I think it's right;-) !)
Christine Andersen (asker) Jun 10, 2009:
Thanks everyone! This is what I love about KudoZ... when we really take a word apart and put it together again.
I can tell my 'problem' client that they might not always get the reaction they want if they insist on 'crispy' every time.
This client is better at cooking and serving food than writing menus - I have quoted a few in the 'lighter side' forum...
Mouldy cheese with your crispy biscuits anyone ???
(They mean a white mould cheese which is actually delicious, milder than many of the blue ones...)
Thanks again!
Gary D Jun 9, 2009:
Christine If you had "crisp juicy fruit", it would be "cold juicy fruit", You can have "sweet juicy fruit". If you wanted to describe them as crisp you would have to say crisp juicy apples, but you couldn't have "crisp apricots" of "crisp grapes", so you couldn't put all the fruit in the "crisp basket"
Tony M Jun 9, 2009:
Yes! I think several commentators have now made that same point: 'crisp' if it's the natural state, and 'crispy' if it's been cooked to be that way.

I certainly don't think they could be regarded as directly interchangeable; but neither would I say that these days crispy is solely infantile language.
Christine Andersen (asker) Jun 9, 2009:
Thanks everyone! I like the thought that crispy is for things that are somehow 'made' crispy - and dry.
In a few months the apple trees in our garden will be laden with crisp, juicy fruit... and they are NOT crispy!
Nor are the cucumbers and other items my husband brings in from the greenhouse...
And mercifully I can still firmly delete the y if anyone tries crispy, new ironed shirts... They would still be tough to chew, I fear!!!

Crispy for junk food??? It's not that clear cut, but at least I have something to go on when clients ask...

Thanks!
B D Finch Jun 9, 2009:
As noted to Gary: Crisp weather is about low air humidity as well as low temp. Caramel is chewy, not crisp and toffee is hard, not crisp unless it is very thin, like brandy snaps. In England apples are crisp, rather than crispy - even, usually, in marketing jargon.
Jack Doughty Jun 9, 2009:
To Gary D What you say may be true in Australia, but we don't make that distinction here.
Gary D Jun 9, 2009:
Agree with B D on the second part. Crispy is sort of like, not as crisp as it could be.
lets use the weather as an example.
It is a bit crispy outside ... maybe 10 deg
It is a bit crisp outside....... maybe 5 deg
when you use it for say caramel; it is a crispy, it would be good and easy to eat ...... It is crisp.... It may be too hard and hard to eat.
crispy lettuce and crisp lettuce... there would be very little difference as it would just be a personal crunchy feel, but a carrot may be like the caramel, a measured difference due to its density.
You will always see Apples advertised as "Fresh crispy apples" They have less of a density to carrots.
(Ice would be said to be crunchy)
As for it being childish, I don't think so as it does indicate some measurement of crispness.
B D Finch Jun 9, 2009:
Anti "crispy" I agree with you and find "crispy" a bit patronising and childish. On the other hand, perhaps it could be used for something that is only borderline crisp? It could also be kept in reserve for where it supplies a rhyme or rhythm to the wording.

Responses

+9
8 mins
Selected

They are virtually interchangeable

Crispy is at least as widely used as crisp, probably more so, and is not considered childish. They mean virtually the same. There are some conventions, e.g. I think one would always talk of crispy noodles and of crisp lettuce. But I can't turn this into a specific rule.
Peer comment(s):
agree Holly Breckenridge : For what it's worth, I use "crispy" much more often than "crisp," and I agree with Jack that there does not seem to be a specific rule.
2 mins
Thank you.
agree Mark Nathan : You've got me there Jack with crispy noodles
6 mins
Thank you.
agree Yasutomo Kanazawa : Crispy sounds more yummy to me. Am I childish? :-)
11 mins
Thank you.
agree Dylan Edwards : There's also "crispy seaweed". "Crispy" should preferably be used for cooked foods.
15 mins
Thank you.
agree Carol Gullidge : in any case, I probably wouldn't use "crisp" for vegetables, etc, but some other word like "crunchy" (and definitely not "crunch"!) To me, "crisp" applies more to someone's manner than to veg. Crunchy apple, ..., but someone's manner is crisp
19 mins
Thank you. Yes, crunch is a noun, not an adjective.
agree Armorel Young : I think it's got something to do with the "swing" that that y sound gives to a word - "crispy pancakes" trips very nicely off the tongue, while "crisp pancakes" just sounds dreary
26 mins
Thank you.
neutral B D Finch : "Crisp pancakes" is for elocution lessons. "Crispy pancakes" sound singed. I certainly like crisp apples, crisp snow, crisp winter days.
39 mins
Thank you.
agree jccantrell : From the USA, I would use 'crispy' for most prepared (i.e., cooked in some way) foods, crisp for lettuce, etc. I have never heard pancakes described as crisp OR crispy, I like mine light and fluffy and golden brown, please.
1 hr
Thank you. I don't like pancakes at all.
agree David Williams : Indeed, it depends more on the food and the context than anything else.
1 hr
Thank you.
neutral Anton Baer : Don't enjoy being disagreeable, but after I wrote this yesterday I realised that my distinction between the connotations of the terms rendered my agreement illogical.
3 hrs
Thank you.
agree Tina Vonhof (X) : I think the "y" was just added because so many other adjectives end in "y".
3 hrs
Thank you. Yes, that's possible.
neutral Tony M : With the greatest respect for your judgemen, jack, i honestly feel that here, the two terms cannot truly be considered as interchangeable in very many circumstances.
8 hrs
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks to everyone, but especially thanks to Jack. This answer and the comments it drew have helped me get over my aversion to the word before my deadline! I allowed the current client to use it for biscuits, but it has given me some welcome arguments to use on another client, who tries to insist on 'crispy' all the time, when crunchy or crisp would often be more appropriate :-)"
+2
13 mins

No

I agree with what you say. There is something slightly childish, or, dare I say it, downmarket, about "crispy" .
And a glance at a few dictionaries invariably gives "crisp" as the meaning of "crispy".
Although given that crisp is also a noun, one could talk about "crispy crisps" (again, probably to children).
Also one has to accept that in supermarket speak, crispy has become widespread, and is probably more popular than its posh cousin, "crisp".

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Note added at 25 mins (2009-06-09 13:08:56 GMT)
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I quite often find crunchy to be more useful than crispy.

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Note added at 42 mins (2009-06-09 13:25:25 GMT)
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Crispy is over-used by the fast-food industry and seems to be applied to virtually anything, even things that have come out a microwave.

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Note added at 43 mins (2009-06-09 13:26:14 GMT)
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...of a microwave.
Peer comment(s):
agree Rachel Fell : Quite agree - a crisp topping, please, not a crispy one...
20 hrs
agree miraw : In addition to the above distinction, I think it also important to note that freshness is implicit to the definition of "crisp", as evident with it's non-food uses: demeanor, Autumn air, etc.
1 day 5 hrs
Yes, interesting point, whereas crispy could mean the opposite, as in "there are some pancakes in the fridge but they've gone a bit crispy." (= dried up)
Something went wrong...
+1
1 hr

Crispy is a measurement, not as crisp as it could be.

Crispy is sort of like, not as crisp as it could be.
lets use the weather as an example.
It is a bit crispy outside ... maybe 10 deg
It is a bit crisp outside....... maybe 5 deg
When you use it for say, caramel; When it is a crispy, it would be good and easy to eat ...... When It is crisp.... It may be too hard and hard to eat.
crispy lettuce and crisp lettuce... there would be very little difference as it would just be a personal crunchy feel, but a carrot may be like the caramel, crispy or crisp, a measured difference due to its density.
You will always see Apples advertised as "Fresh crispy apples" They have less of a density to carrots.
(Ice would be said to be crunchy, like potato chips (packet type))

As for it being childish, I don't think so as it does indicate some measurement of crispness.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2009-06-09 14:34:40 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Caramel would be measured in 5 stages ; Sticky.....Soft...... Crispy.... Crisp ...... Crunchy... Then maybe "like a rock"

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Note added at 8 hrs (2009-06-09 20:51:08 GMT)
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The reason we have the two words is because we do use the differently but it is certainly used as a degree of measurement, all be it for personal use when describing something.
Peer comment(s):
agree José J. Martínez : That is right, crispy is on its way to crisp but not yet there... crisp is like crackers, crispy is like the smaller portions of a celery stick
5 mins
Thank you
neutral B D Finch : Crisp weather is about low air humidity as well as low temp. Caramel is chewy, not crisp and toffee is hard, not crisp. In England apples are crisp, rather than crispy.
31 mins
Thank You
neutral Tony M : I don't think it's anything to do with a question of degree — perhaps if it were 'crispish', yes...
2 hrs
thank you
Something went wrong...
1 day 1 hr

crunchy (as opposed to fresh)

I have to withdraw my agreement with Jack. They actually are not interchangeable, in my opinion. Crispy connotes crunchiness and crisp connotes freshness. That's the distinction that emerges when you mull over the many examples of usage.

Crisp is used with anything fresh and succulent that also makes a 'crisp' (sharp, distinct) noise when you bend it or break it. We speak of crisp banknotes, for example, in contrast to old and limp ones.

"Crisp" is also used as an adjective for the snapping sound a crust of snow makes underfoot.

Crispy food is often nowhere being fresh. It makes a 'crisp' sound when broken or bent, but to distinguish it from fresh food we call it not "crisp" but "crispy", possibly to show that only the sound of the snap is preserved. Lettuce is crisp, and so is celery -- until it loses freshness and no longer makes a sound when bitten into.

I hope that helps.
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Reference comments

19 mins
Reference:

Wordreference.com link

Interesting question that I'd never thought about before. It's already been discussed on Wordreference, and this part seems entirely logical and may be of use:

Think of a "crispy" food item as something that has been made crisp. That will make it clear why food items have been singled out as almost exclusively "crispy." But "fresh, crisp lettuce" is better-- the lettuce simply has that texture, and is not "crispy" from being baked or fried.

http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=63904
Peer comments on this reference comment:
agree Kathryn Litherland : I agree--I'd use "crispy" to describe something that has been made crisp (usually by frying)--crispy potatoes, a crispy coating--and "crisp" to describe something that is properly crisp in its natural state.
9 mins
Thanks - it seems to depend on whether we've had a hand in it or whether it's down to nature
agree B D Finch : That sounds right, though "crisp coating" is harder to say than "crispy coating" and "crisp pancakes" is even worse. (Why should pancakes be crisp/y anyhow? They should be soft unless they are those toaster things that belong in the bin IMHO.)
27 mins
I agree about the pancakes, although French ones are so thin they inevitably have crisp(y) edges
agree Mark Nathan : Yes, you say something has "gone crispy".
28 mins
be crisp, make crispy, crispen - sometimes you can have too much choice!
agree Simon Mac
39 mins
Thanks
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