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¹egg

verb \ˈeg, ˈāg\

Definition of EGG

transitive verb

: to incite to action —usually used with on

Origin of EGG

Middle English, from Old Norse eggja; akin to Old English ecg edge — more at edge

First Known Use: 13th century

Rhymes with EGG

beg, dreg, gleg, keg, leg, peg, reg, skeg, yegg

²egg

noun, often attributive

: a hard-shelled oval thing from which a young bird is born; also : an oval or round thing from which a snake, frog, insect, etc., is born

: the egg of a bird (especially a chicken) eaten as food

biology : a cell that is produced by the female sexual organs and that combines with the male's sperm in reproduction

Full Definition of EGG

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

: something resembling an egg

: person, sort <a good egg>

— egg·less adjective

— eggy \ˈe-gē, ˈā-\ adjective

— egg on one's face

: a state of embarrassment or humiliation

See egg defined for English-language learners

Illustration of EGG

Origin of EGG

Middle English egge, from Old Norse egg; akin to Old English ǣg egg, Latin ovum, Greek ōion

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to EGG

Synonyms: baby, being, bird, bod [British], body, character, cookie (or cooky), creature, customer, devil, duck, human, face, fish, guy, head, human being, individual, life, man, mortal, party, person, personage, scout, slob, sort, soul, specimen, stiff, thing, wight

Other Embryology Terms

gravid, neonate, ontogeny, parturition

³egg

verb

Definition of EGG

transitive verb

: to cover with egg

: to pelt with eggs

First Known Use of EGG

1833

EGG Defined for Kids

¹egg

noun \ˈeg, ˈāg\

Definition of EGG for Kids

: 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

: egg cell

: the contents of the egg of a bird and especially a chicken that is eaten as food

²egg

verb

eggedegg·ing

Definition of EGG for Kids

: 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, Chamber of Secrets>

Medical Dictionary

egg

noun \ˈeg, ˈāg\

Medical Definition of EGG

: the hard-shelled reproductive body produced by a bird and especially by the common domestic chicken (Gallus gallus)

: 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

: ovum