: the hard-shelled reproductive body produced by a bird and especially by the common domestic chicken
also: its contents used as food
b
: an animal reproductive body consisting of an ovum together with its nutritive and protective envelopes and having the capacity to develop into a new individual capable of independent existence
Noun
The egg will hatch about 10 days after it is laid.
the smell of rotten eggs
I bought a carton of eggs.
a batter made from flour and egg
The egg is fertilized by the sperm. Verb (1)
though exhausted, I was egged on by spectators to finish the marathon
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Noun
Tending to chickens means daily routines: feeding, watering, checking for eggs, and keeping the coop clean.—Lauren Thomann, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 July 2025 An image of a wooden cane pokes up from the bottom to divide the painting while a floating constellation of deviled eggs looms above her head — a nod to menopause and losing her fertility.—Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 14 July 2025
Verb
The alleged egging wasn't the only interruption to the event either.—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 24 June 2025 But Israel, under the corrupt leadership of Benjamin Netanyahu, egged Trump into bombing Iran’s nuclear facilities.—Tom Zirpoli, Baltimore Sun, 24 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for egg
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English egge, from Old Norse egg; akin to Old English ǣg egg, Latin ovum, Greek ōion
Verb (1)
Middle English, from Old Norse eggja; akin to Old English ecg edge — more at edge
: a hard-shelled reproductive body produced by a bird and especially by domestic poultry
also: its contents used as food
b
: a reproductive body produced by an animal and consisting of an ovum with its food-containing and protecting envelopes and being capable of development into a new individual
c
: a germ cell produced by a female
called alsoovum
2
: something shaped like an egg
darning egg
Etymology
Verb
Old Norse eggja "to incite"
Noun
Middle English egge "egg," from early Norse egg (same meaning)
: the hard-shelled reproductive body produced by a bird and especially by the common domestic chicken (Gallus gallus)
2
: an animal reproductive body consisting of an ovum together with its nutritive and protective envelopes and having the capacity to develop into a new individual capable of independent existence
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