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
1 of 3noun
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
adjective ˈā-
egg
2 of 3verb (1)
egged; egging; eggs
transitive verb
: to incite to action —usually used with on
egg
3 of 3verb (2)
egged; egging; eggs
transitive verb
1
: to cover with egg
2
: to pelt with eggs
Synonyms
Noun
- baby
- being
- bird
- bod [British]
- body
- character
- cookie
- cooky
- creature
- customer
- devil
- duck
- face
- fish
- guy
- head
- human
- human being
- individual
- life
- man
- mortal
- party
- person
- personage
- scout
- slob
- sort
- soul
- specimen
- stiff
- thing
- wight
Verb (1)
- encourage
- exhort
- goad
- nudge
- press
- prod
- prompt
- urge
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
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.
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)
1833, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing egg
Kids Definition
egg 1 of 2
noun
ˈeg
ˈāg
1
: an oval or rounded body surrounded by a shell or membrane by which some animals (as birds, fish, insects, and reptiles) reproduce and from which the young hatches out
2
: egg cell
3
: the contents of the egg of a bird and especially a chicken that is eaten as food
egg
2 of 2verb
egged; egging
: to urge or encourage to do usually something foolish or dangerous
… he'd been calling the snake off, not egging it on …
J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets 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)
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
egg 1 of 2
noun
as in person
a member of the human race kindhearted and generous, she's a real good egg by anyone's standard Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- person
- man
- life
- bird
- guy
- creature
- duck
- fish
- human
- baby
- individual
- body
- being
- soul
- cookie
- thing
- specimen
- face
- party
- stiff
- mortal
- wight
- sort
- customer
- human being
- character
- devil
- scout
- personality
- bod
- head
- cooky
- personage
- son of man
- homo
- fellow
- slob
- self
- humanoid
- brother
- neighbor
- hominid
- somebody
- celebrity
- fellowman
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- animal
- critter
- beast
- brute
- beastie
egg
2 of 2verb
as in to whip
Synonyms & Similar Words
- whip
- press
- hound
- prod
- spur
- prick
- scourge
- prompt
- shepherd
- goad
- herd
- flog
- punch
- wrangle
- exhort
- drive
- run