egg
A1Neutral
Definition
Meaning
An oval or round object laid by a female bird, reptile, fish, or invertebrate, containing a developing embryo and serving as food.
1) A cell from a woman or female animal that can develop into a baby if fertilized by a male cell; an ovum. 2) A person or thing with a particular quality, often in a metaphorical sense (e.g., 'a good egg'). 3) Something shaped like an egg (e.g., a chocolate egg).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a count noun when referring to the object as a whole ('three eggs'). Can be uncountable when referring to the substance as food ('a plate of scrambled egg'). The biological term 'egg cell' (ovum) is more technical. The metaphorical use ('a bad egg') is informal.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. The verb 'to egg on' (to urge someone to do something) is used in both. British English more commonly uses 'egg' as a verb meaning to throw eggs at someone. American English may use 'egg' more frequently in compound food terms (e.g., 'egg sandwich' vs. British 'egg mayo sandwich').
Connotations
Similar in both dialects. Connotations include fragility, potential, new life, and breakfast food.
Frequency
Extremely high frequency in both dialects with no significant variance.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[N] + [V] (The hen lays an egg.)[V] + [N] (She beat the eggs.)egg [sb] on [to INF] (They egged him on to jump.)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Don't put all your eggs in one basket.”
- “Kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.”
- “Have egg on one's face.”
- “A nest egg.”
- “As sure as eggs is eggs.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Metaphorical use in finance ('nest egg' for savings).
Academic
Biological term for female gamete (ovum) and in developmental biology.
Everyday
Overwhelmingly used for food items and in common idioms.
Technical
In biology (zygote, embryo), cooking, and food science.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Protesters tried to egg the minister's car.
- His friends egged him on to ask her out.
American English
- The crowd egged the boxer on to fight harder.
- Don't egg him on when he's being silly.
adjective
British English
- The filling had an eggy flavour.
- He made an eggy bread for brunch (French toast).
American English
- The salad had an eggy taste.
- She ordered an egg white omelette.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I have two eggs for breakfast.
- The bird laid a blue egg.
- Do you like boiled eggs?
- You need three eggs to make this cake.
- He had egg on his face after his mistake was revealed.
- We buy free-range eggs from the farm.
- The recipe calls for the eggs to be separated.
- She's been trying to conceive, so they're monitoring her egg production.
- Investing everything in one company is like putting all your eggs in one basket.
- The fertilized egg implanted successfully in the uterine wall.
- His reckless behaviour was a result of being egged on by his peers.
- The policy was meant to protect the golden goose, not kill it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine the letters 'E G G' as two yolks inside a white, cracked shell.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOURCE OF LIFE / POTENTIAL (e.g., 'a plan is hatching'), FRAGILITY (e.g., 'walking on eggshells'), SIMPLICITY (e.g., 'as easy as boiling an egg').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'egg' to mean 'testicle' in polite conversation, as the direct Russian translation 'яйцо' can have that vulgar meaning.
- The idiom 'иметь яйца' (to have guts/courage) does not translate directly to 'have eggs'.
Common Mistakes
- Using uncountable form incorrectly: 'I ate egg for breakfast' (should be 'eggs' or 'some egg').
- Confusing 'egg on' (encourage) with 'edge on' (incorrect).
Practice
Quiz
What does the idiom 'to egg someone on' mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is usually countable ('three eggs'). It becomes uncountable when referring to the beaten or cooked substance as food ('a spoonful of egg', 'there's egg on your shirt').
The 'white' (or albumen) is the clear, protein-rich part that surrounds the yolk. The 'yolk' is the yellow, central part rich in fats and vitamins.
It refers to eggs laid by hens that have access to the outdoors, as opposed to being confined to cages (battery farming).
Yes, the verb 'to egg' means to throw eggs at someone/something. The phrasal verb 'to egg on' means to urge or encourage someone to do something, usually something unwise.
Collections
Part of a collection
Food and Drink
A1 · 49 words · Common words for food, drink and meals.