egg

1 of 3

noun

ˈeg 

ˈāg

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

3

: person, sort

a good egg

eggless adjective

eggy

ˈe-gē 

ˈā-

adjective

see also:

egg on one's face lay an egg

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

egg

2 of 3

verb (1)

egged; egging; eggs

transitive verb

: to incite to action

—usually used with on

egg

3 of 3

verb (2)

egged; egging; eggs

transitive verb

1

: to cover with egg

2

: to pelt with eggs

Synonyms of egg

Noun

• person
• man
• life
• guy
• creature
• bird
• duck
• fish

Verb (1)

• urge
• encourage

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

Noun

The female scale insects overwinter on the plants and begin laying eggs in late April and May. — Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2026

The menu featured a farmer’s market salad with a Lao-style egg yolk dressing, papaya salad, yellowtail crudo with a yuzu coconut jeow and perilla, vegetable red curry, beef red curry, and the siu mai. — Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2026

Verb

The two developed a joyful rhythm on set, egging each other on and rushing back to the monitor between takes. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 9 Sep. 2026

When speaking to a duo of polite British children on their Spider-Man press tour, Holland eggs Zendaya into doing her British accent. — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 30 July 2026

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

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1834, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing egg

• bad egg
• chicken-and-egg
• curate's egg
• dropped egg
• easter egg
• egg and dart
• egg case
• egg cell
• egg cream
• egg-drop soup
• egg foo yong
• egg foo young
• egg foo yung
• egg mayonnaise
• egg on
• egg on one's face
• egg roll
• egg timer
• egg tooth
• good egg
• goose egg
• lay an egg
• nest egg
• Scotch egg
• the goose that lays the golden egg
• thunder egg
• with egg on one's face

Rhymes for egg

• beg
• clegg
• keg
• leg
• legg
• meg
• neg
• peg
• reg
• blackleg
• bootleg
• foreleg

Kids Definition

egg

1 of 2 verb

ˈeg 

: to incite to action : urge

—usually used with on

egged us on to fight

egg

2 of 2 noun

1

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

noun

ˈeg, ˈāg 

1

: 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