Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “egg” come from?

Egg comes from Middle English eggen, from the Middle English suffix -en, from Proto-Germanic agjō, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₂éwis meaning bird.

egg (English): An approximately spherical or ellipsoidal body...

Definitions

  1. An approximately spherical or ellipsoidal body...

Ancestry of “egg”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglisheggenTo egg on; to encourage or provide motivation; To...
2Old Saxoneggianto harrow
3Old Norseeggjato incite, egg on to do
4Old Norseeggegg; edge
5Proto-Germanicagjōedge, corner
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eḱ-sharp

Words derived from “egg”

  • eggs
  • eggplant
  • eggnog
  • egghead
  • eggy
  • eggbeater
  • egglaying
  • eggcup
  • eggless
  • egglike
  • egger
  • eggcrate
  • eggheaded
  • eggie
  • eggbox
  • eggtimer
  • nonegg
  • eggmass
  • egginess
  • eggwhisk
  • eggfruit
  • egglayer
  • eggery
  • eggheadedness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂eḱ- →