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

Back in the early 1980s, amid a volatile chicken market, McDonald’s needed help pricing their nuggets and limiting the risk of menu price fluctuations. — Sarah Glodek, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026

Chicken nuggets, small sandwiches, vegetables, dip, and fruit are all kid-friendly favorites that are easy to prepare and likely to please adult guests, too. — Amanda Rock, Parents, 12 Aug. 2026

Bay Area-founded Starbird and its signature chicken — tenders, wings, nuggets, sandwiches, salads, wraps and more — will be available in the coming months at that corner of Mowry Avenue and Fremont Boulevard, the company has confirmed. — Linda Zavoral, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2026

But of course, it's been frivolized by meme creators who use it to joke about not wanting to clean their rooms or eat anything besides chicken nuggets. — Owen Carry, USA Today, 11 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