Definition of egg noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

egg

noun

eɡ

eɡ

1 [countable] a small oval object with a thin hard shell produced by a female bird and containing a young bird; a similar object produced by a female fish, insect, etcThe female sits on the eggs until they hatch.The fish lay thousands of eggs at one time.crocodile eggs

2 [countable, uncountable] a bird's egg, especially one from a chicken, that is eaten as fooda boiled eggbacon and eggsfried/poached/scrambled eggsBind the mixture together with a little beaten egg.You've got some egg on your shirt.egg yolks/whitesegg noodlesducks'/quails' eggsa chocolate egg (= made from chocolate in the shape of an egg) see also Easter egg, Scotch egg

3 [countable] (in women and female animals) a cell that combines with a sperm to create a baby or young animal

Synonym

ovumThe male sperm fertilizes the female egg.an egg donor see also nest egg

Idioms

a good egg

(old-fashioned, informal) a person who you can rely on to behave well

have egg on/all over your face

(informal) to be made to look stupidThey were left with egg on their faces when only ten people showed up.

put all your eggs in one basket

to rely on one particular course of action for success rather than giving yourself several different possibilities

I've applied for several jobs. I don't want to put all my eggs in one basket.

more at a chicken-and-egg situation, problem, etc. at chicken noun, the curate's egg at curate, kill the goose that lays the golden eggs at kill verb, you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs at omelette, sure as eggs is eggs at sure adverb, teach your grandmother to suck eggs at teach

Usage note: The living worldAnimalsanimals mate/breed/reproduce/feed (on something)fish/amphibians swim/spawn (= lay eggs)birds fly/migrate/nest/singinsects crawl/fly/bite/stinginsects/bees/locusts swarmbees collect/gather nectar/pollenspiders spin/weave a websnakes/lizards shed their skinsbears/hedgehogs/frogs hibernateinsect larvae grow/develop/pupatean egg/a chick/a larva hatchesattract/find/choose a mateproduce/release eggs/spermlay/fertilize/incubate/hatch eggsinhabit a forest/a reef/the coastmark/enter/defend (a) territorystalk/hunt/capture/catch/kill preyPlants and fungitrees/plants grow/bloom/blossom/flowera seed germinates/sproutsleaves/buds/roots/shoots appear/develop/formflower buds swell/opena fungus grows/spreads/colonizes somethingpollinate/fertilize a flower/plantproduce/release/spread/disperse pollen/seeds/sporesproduce/bear fruitdevelop/grow/form roots/shoots/leavesprovide/supply/absorb/extract/release nutrientsperform/increase/reduce photosynthesisBacteria and virusesbacteria/microbes/viruses grow/spread/multiplybacteria/microbes live/thrive in/on somethingbacteria/microbes/viruses evolve/colonize something/cause diseasebacteria break something down/convert something (into something)a virus enters/invades something/the bodya virus mutates/evolves/replicates (itself)be infected with/contaminated with/exposed to a new strain of a virus/drug-resistant bacteriacontain/carry/harbour (especially US) harbor bacteria/a viruskill/destroy/eliminate harmful/deadly bacteria