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

But ate every single chicken wing, every single Waffle House, every single nugget from Buc-ee's, and were utterly enraptured. — Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026

Straw and shredded wood fit and lock together better than smooth bark nuggets or rubber mulch. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 10 July 2026

Some guests have reported that there was not a formal wedding dinner, but instead food stations that included fun hors d’oeuvres like chicken nuggets topped with caviar. — Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 9 July 2026

One of the most expensive dishes at the Iowa State Fair brings caviar and chicken nuggets from JR’s SouthPork Ranch for $99 that blends childhood nostalgia with pure luxury. — Susan Stapleton, Des Moines Register, 9 July 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