noun

eggshell

EHG-shehl

Eggshell (noun) means the thin, hard outer covering of an egg. Example: “Be careful not to get bits of eggshell in the batter.”

noun

The thin, hard outer covering of an egg.

"Be careful not to get bits of eggshell in the batter."

"She crushed the eggshells and added them to her compost."

adj

Pale off-white in color, like the shell of a hen's egg.

"The living room was painted an eggshell white."

Very thin, delicate, and easily broken, like an eggshell.

"The antique teacup had an almost eggshell fragility."

Describing a paint finish with a slight, low sheen — more matte than satin but not fully flat.

"We chose an eggshell finish for the hallway walls."

How to use eggshell

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe brittle shell around an egg, or (as a color/finish) a soft, pale, low-sheen look.

Easily confused with

satin → matte →

Common pairings

eggshell white eggshell finish crack the eggshell

Word forms

more eggshell comparative, eggshells plural, most eggshell superlative

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Be careful not to get bits of _____ in the batter.

Etymology

From Middle English eggeshell, ege schelle, egg-shel, egg shelle (also as Middle English eye schell, ey-schel, ey-schelle), partially continuing Old English ǣġsċill, ǣġsċyll (“eggshell”), equivalent to egg + shell. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Oaierskil (“eggshell”), Dutch eierschaal (“eggshell”), German Eierschale (“eggshell”), Danish æggeskal (“eggshell”), Swedish äggskal (“eggshell”).

Origin: Middle English

Synonyms

View more →

shell

Related words

outside scale plate shell framework missile hull exterior

Frequently asked questions

What does “eggshell” mean?

The word “eggshell” means the thin, hard outer covering of an egg. In plain terms, the brittle shell around an egg, or (as a color/finish) a soft, pale, low-sheen look.

How do you pronounce “eggshell”?

“Eggshell” is pronounced EHG-shehl (/ˈɛɡʃɛl/ in IPA).

How do you use “eggshell” in a sentence?

Here is “eggshell” used in a sentence: “Be careful not to get bits of eggshell in the batter.”

What part of speech is “eggshell”?

Depending on how it is used, “eggshell” can be a noun and an adjective.

How many meanings does “eggshell” have?

“Eggshell” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the thin, hard outer covering of an egg.

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