nest egg

American  

noun

1. money saved and held in reserve for emergencies, retirement, etc.

2. a natural or artificial egg placed in a nest to induce a hen to continue laying eggs there.

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nest egg British  

noun

1. a fund of money kept in reserve; savings

2. a natural or artificial egg left in a nest to induce hens to lay their eggs in it

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Etymology

Origin of nest egg

First recorded in 1600–10

Example Sentences

Your upbringing taught you a lot about life, and you learned the value of hard work and patience and stamina and consistency by buying and selling homes and building a $6 million nest egg.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

"The market needs stability and savers need to feel encouraged to build a nest egg."

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

Let’s put that in perspective: If you have $1 million saved, healthcare costs alone could consume more than one-third of your entire nest egg.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 3, 2026

A 40-year-old in 1980 who put a chunk of their nest egg into gold only would have broken even last year, two decades into retirement.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

He said he was building a nest egg for us, but I know at least part of him wanted to see where things went with Steph.

From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila

Related Words

• cache
• reserve fund
• savings
• savings account
• stash
• stockpile