curate's egg

noun

chiefly British
: something with both good and bad parts or qualities

Word History

Etymology

from the story of a curate who was given a stale egg by his bishop and declared that parts of it were excellent

First Known Use

1905, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of curate's egg was in 1905

Dictionary Entries Near curate's egg

curate's assistant

curate's egg

curated

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Curate's egg.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/curate%27s%20egg. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.

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