Easter egg
Americannoun
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a chicken egg that is dyed and often given a figure or design, or an imitation of such an egg, as an egg-shaped candy or chocolate, used at Easter as a gift or decoration.
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Digital Technology. an extra feature, as a message or video, hidden in a software program, video game, DVD, etc., and revealed as by an obscure sequence of keystrokes or commands.
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Movies, Television. a hidden message, as a cryptic reference, iconic image, or inside joke, that fans are intended to discover in a television show or movie.
noun
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an egg given to children at Easter, usually a chocolate egg or a hen's egg with its shell painted
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a bonus or extra feature hidden inside a website, computer game, or DVD, that is only revealed after repeated or lengthy viewing or playing
Usage
What does Easter egg mean? Easter eggs can refer to candy eggs or eggs decorated for the Christian holiday of Easter, and searched for during Easter egg hunts. In popular culture, Easters eggs are text, images, visual gags, jokes, or other content that creators intentionally hide in media for their and their viewers' amusement.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of Easter egg
First recorded in 1570–80
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Zombie Joe's Easter Egg Hunt Twisted, interactive take on the holiday ritual; for ages 18 and up.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2018
The institution is encouraging little visitors to search high and low for hidden egg sculptures during its annual Easter Egg Hunt.
From New York Times • Apr. 13, 2017
Since the first weekend of the festival coincides with Easter, the Westin will also have an Adult Easter Egg Hunt with games and prizes.
From Washington Times • Mar. 28, 2017
On Sunday, March 27, there will be a Children’s Easter Egg Hunt at 9:15 a.m.
From Washington Post • Mar. 18, 2016
Market-wide Easter Egg Hunt, 10 a.m.; meet bunnies, $1 donation suggested, noon-4 p.m.; sidewalk chalking, bunny craft projects, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
From Seattle Times • Apr. 16, 2014
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
