Illustration of egg
- 1 shell
- 2 outer shell membrane
- 3 inner shell membrane
- 4 air space
- 5 chalaza
- 6 albumen or white layers
- 7 yolk layers
- 8 blastodisc
- 9 vitelline membrane
often attributive
1
a
: 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
c
: ovum
2
: something resembling an egg
eggless
adjective
see also:
Examples of egg in a Sentence
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
Recent Examples on the Web
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 May 2026
Gadusol was discovered around 40 years ago in cod eggs, though it's also found in coral reef ecosystems, zebrafish and salmon eggs.
—Emily Kwong, NPR, 15 May 2026
Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 13 May 2026
Local media outlets are egging it on, frequently publishing misinformation tinged with fearmongering.
—IEEE Spectrum, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for egg
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
The offerings there lean British tavern style, with items like a shatteringly crisp fish and chips, Irish soda bread, and curry on the lunch menu, while breakfast has those farm-fresh eggs in various preparations, including a sandwich with a slice of Taylor Ham, a New Jersey specialty.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 May 2026
Gadusol was discovered around 40 years ago in cod eggs, though it's also found in coral reef ecosystems, zebrafish and salmon eggs.
—Emily Kwong, NPR, 15 May 2026
Verb
The incident began May 25, 2025, when three Hillsdale High School teenaged boys egged Miceli’s house, two days after pouring oil on his front porch, prosecutors said.
—Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 13 May 2026
Local media outlets are egging it on, frequently publishing misinformation tinged with fearmongering.
—IEEE Spectrum, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for egg
Cite this Entry
“Egg.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/egg. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
egg
2 of 2 noun1
a
: 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 also ovum
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)
Medical Definition
egg
noun1
: the hard-shelled reproductive body produced by a bird and especially by the common domestic chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus)
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
3
: ovum
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