curate's egg: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2 (Very low frequency, mainly in writing)Formal, literary, chiefly written; used by educated speakers in specific contexts.
Quick answer
What does “curate's egg” mean?
Something described as good in parts, but overall bad.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Something described as good in parts, but overall bad; something of mixed quality, with the suggestion that its positive aspects are used to politely disguise its fundamental flaws.
Used to characterize any situation, object, or person that is a mixture of good and bad qualities, where the overall assessment is negative but there is a pretense or polite fiction that it is acceptable. Often employed to describe awkward compromises or unsatisfactory outcomes.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The idiom is fundamentally British in origin and cultural understanding. It is understood by many educated Americans but is rarely used spontaneously in American English; it would likely be perceived as a Britishism.
Connotations
In British English, it conveys a specific type of very British, understated, and ironic criticism. In American English, if used, it might be seen as an erudite or deliberately quaint reference.
Frequency
Very low frequency in the UK; extremely rare in the US.
Grammar
How to Use “curate's egg” in a Sentence
{Subject} + be + (a bit of) a curate's egg.They described {object} as a curate's egg.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “curate's egg” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The entire initiative has been rather curate's-egged by the press.
adjective
British English
- We were left with a rather curate's-egg solution.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in reviews or discussions to diplomatically criticize a project, strategy, or product launch that had some minor successes but was ultimately a failure. E.g., 'The quarterly results were a bit of a curate's egg.'
Academic
Rare, but could be used in literary criticism or cultural studies to describe a work with notable strengths and glaring weaknesses.
Everyday
Very rare in casual conversation. Might be used humorously or self-consciously to describe a disappointing meal, holiday, or film.
Technical
Not used in technical fields.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “curate's egg”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “curate's egg”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “curate's egg”
- Using it to mean simply 'a mixture of good and bad' without the connotation of overall badness masked by politeness. *'The film was a curate's egg, I loved the action but hated the plot.' (Incorrect if the overall feeling is positive).
- Treating it as a common synonym for 'mixed bag'. It is far more specific and culturally loaded.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It originates from a 1895 cartoon in the British humorous magazine 'Punch'. A timid curate (a junior clergyman) is having breakfast with his bishop. The bishop says, 'I'm afraid you've got a bad egg, Mr Jones.' The curate, not wishing to offend his superior, replies, 'Oh, no, my Lord, I assure you! Parts of it are excellent!'
Not accurately. 'Mixed bag' is neutral—it can be good, bad, or indifferent overall. 'Curate's egg' specifically implies the thing is fundamentally bad or unsatisfactory, but someone is being polite or diplomatic by highlighting the few good aspects. It carries a strong sense of irony and understatement.
No, it is very rare. It is a quintessentially British cultural reference. Educated Americans may understand it, especially in written text, but they are unlikely to use it in everyday speech. An American might say 'a mixed bag' or be more direct.
It is primarily a noun phrase, used as a countable noun (e.g., 'a curate's egg'). It can occasionally be used attributively as a hyphenated compound adjective (e.g., 'a curate's-egg report') or even very rarely as a verb, but these uses are non-standard and chiefly British.
Something described as good in parts, but overall bad.
Curate's egg is usually formal, literary, chiefly written; used by educated speakers in specific contexts. in register.
Curate's egg: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkjʊər.ɪts ˈeɡ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌkjʊr.ɪts ˈeɡ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The curate's egg”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a polite vicar being served a rotten egg for breakfast. To avoid offending his host, he says, 'Parts of it are excellent!' The egg is, of course, wholly bad. The phrase recalls this false politeness.
Conceptual Metaphor
AN EVALUATION IS A FOOD ITEM; POLITE CRITICISM IS A SOCIAL FICTION.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary connotation of describing something as 'a curate's egg'?