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

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

The one useful nugget revealed in its sinister pages this time is the existence of an ancient dagger that is the sole means of killing a deadite for good. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2026

Jeff Johnson, a pastor and podcaster, shared the budget-friendly order in a social media video, saying his family skips individual meals and orders a 30-count nugget tray and a few buttered buns instead. — Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 7 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