What does egg mean?
An egg is the rounded, typically oval body produced by the females of birds, reptiles, fish, and many other animals, enclosing a developing embryo together with the nutrients it needs to grow. In everyday life the word most often refers to hens' eggs, which rank among the most widely consumed foods in the world — boiled, fried, scrambled, poached, or folded into countless dishes. Beyond the kitchen, 'egg' has a precise scientific sense denoting a female reproductive cell, or ovum. The word carries rich figurative weight in English: a person who is 'a bad egg' is untrustworthy, while a 'nest egg' is money set aside for the future. Simple, ancient, and universal, 'egg' is among the most basic nouns in the language — and its very ordinariness is what makes its Norse origin such a surprise.
An oval object laid by a female bird, reptile, fish, or insect, containing a developing embryo; also the egg of a hen used as food.
"The chef separated the white from the yolk of each egg."
In cooking contexts, 'egg' almost always implies a hen's egg unless otherwise specified.
A female reproductive cell; an ovum.
"Fertilisation occurs when a sperm cell penetrates the egg."
This biological sense appears chiefly in scientific and medical writing.
Regular plural formation by adding -s. Commonly quantified by dozens in commerce.
"We bought a dozen eggs at the market."
The everyday English word 'egg' is a Viking import — it replaced the older native English word 'ey' after the Norse settlements.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of egg
The word 'egg' comes from Old Norse 'egg', which was introduced into English during the Viking Age and gradually displaced the native Old English form 'ǣg' (later 'ey'). It descends from Proto-Germanic '*ajją', making it a close relative of modern Scandinavian words such as Swedish 'ägg' and Danish 'æg'. Its ultimate origins lie further back in the prehistoric Germanic language family.
Related word forms
How egg is actually used
A thoroughly neutral, common word across registers. As a countable noun it takes a regular plural ('eggs'). In informal British usage, 'egg' can also appear as a verb meaning to throw eggs at someone or something.
Easily confused with egg
'Ego' refers to a person's sense of self-esteem or self-importance, while 'egg' is a rounded reproductive body laid by birds and other animals.