nugget

noun

nug·​get ˈnə-gət How to pronounce nugget (audio)
Synonyms of nuggetnext
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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Sometimes a chicken nugget is just a chicken nugget. Dallas Morning News, 3 Feb. 2026 Here’s my six-pack of nuggets and feedback on Mensah. Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2026 Sometimes things are too good to be true or simply don't work, but there are nuggets of gold among the duds. Melissa Epifano, The Spruce, 26 Jan. 2026 You will always be remembered as Leah’s perfect little nugget. Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 25 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for nugget

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1851, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of nugget was in 1851

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nugget.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nugget. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

nugget

noun
nug·​get ˈnəg-ət How to pronounce nugget (audio)
: a solid lump especially of precious metal

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