noun

nugget

NUH-guht

Nugget (noun) means a small rounded lump, especially of gold or other precious metal found in its natural state. Example: “The prospector pulled a gold nugget the size of a thumbnail out of the creek bed.”

noun

A small rounded lump, especially of gold or other precious metal found in its natural state.

"The prospector pulled a gold nugget the size of a thumbnail out of the creek bed."

"She kept the nugget of raw silver on her desk as a paperweight."

A small, valuable piece of information or wisdom.

"The old coach dropped a nugget of advice that stuck with him for years."

"Buried in the report was one useful nugget of data."

A small piece of breaded and fried food, especially chicken.

"The kids ordered a box of chicken nuggets with fries."

How to use nugget

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA small chunky lump of something valuable — precious metal, useful information, or breaded food.

Common pairings

gold nugget chicken nugget nugget of wisdom nugget of truth

Word forms

nuggeted past tense, nuggetted past tense, nuggets plural, nuggets singular

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The prospector pulled a gold _____ the size of a thumbnail out of the creek bed.

Etymology

Origin uncertain, first recorded for lumps of ore in 19th-century Australia and possibly linked to an English dialect word "nug", meaning a lump or block.

· First attested 1800

Class of 1800 nugget joined the language around 1800.

alcohol Aryan Australia availability bah

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Frequently asked questions

What does “nugget” mean?

The word “nugget” means a small rounded lump, especially of gold or other precious metal found in its natural state. In plain terms, a small chunky lump of something valuable — precious metal, useful information, or breaded food.

How do you pronounce “nugget”?

“Nugget” is pronounced NUH-guht (/ˈnʌɡət/ in IPA).

How do you use “nugget” in a sentence?

Here is “nugget” used in a sentence: “The prospector pulled a gold nugget the size of a thumbnail out of the creek bed.”

What part of speech is “nugget”?

“Nugget” is a noun.

Where does the word “nugget” come from?

The word “nugget” dates back to around 1800. Origin uncertain, first recorded for lumps of ore in 19th-century Australia and possibly linked to an English dialect word "nug", meaning a lump or block.

How many meanings does “nugget” have?

“Nugget” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a small rounded lump, especially of gold or other precious metal found in its natural state.