nugget

noun

nug·​get ˈnə-gət 

1

: a solid lump

especially : a native lump of precious metal

2

: tidbit sense 2

nuggets of wisdom

3

: a small usually rounded piece of food

chicken nuggets

Synonyms of nugget

• mouthful
• bite
• taste
• nibble

Examples of nugget in a Sentence

nuggets of beef in the chow mein

a seemingly inconsequential nugget of information that proved to be the key to cracking the case

Recent Examples on the Web

Burger King is also introducing new chicken nuggets this fall. — Chad Murphy, Cincinnati Enquirer, 28 Aug. 2026

Burger King wants customers to offer their comments on the new nuggets. — Mike Snider, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026

Rivals have already capitalized on poultry’s popularity and released new options, including crispy nuggets from Taco Bell, revamped tenders at McDonald’s and KFC expanding its sauce-centric spinoff called Saucy. — Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026

Back in the early 1980s, amid a volatile chicken market, McDonald’s needed help pricing its nuggets and limiting the risk of menu price fluctuations. — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 18 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1851, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

nugget

noun

nug·​get ˈnəg-ət 

: a solid lump especially of precious metal