To form tight, small curls or become crispy and curled, often when cooking or from humidity.
From Middle English 'frizelen,' likely from a Germanic root meaning 'to curl.' The word may be related to Old High German 'frisen,' suggesting Proto-Germanic origins. It gained popularity in cooking contexts in the 20th century.
Frizzle perfectly captures the physics of what happens when heat or moisture causes protein and starch structures to coil and crisp—whether it's bacon edges or hair in humid weather! The word's sound itself (the 'z' and repeated 'z' consonants) mimics the actual sizzling sound.
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