nest egg

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.

nest egg

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of nest egg¹

First recorded in 1600–10

Example Sentences

This is happening at a time when those on fixed budgets could be hit with higher prices for consumer goods thanks to Trump’s tariffs, and may see their nest eggs threatened by stock market volatility.

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That would remove the threat of sheriff’s deputies hauling her out, provide a nest egg to start anew and give her more control of a situation she believed would otherwise turn out poorly.

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A lot of these guys, when they get into the corporate world, their nest egg becomes so solid that their fear of losing that supersedes them being sharper onstage.

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And even though some are living off substantial nest eggs or healthy retirement accounts, others are barely surviving on a fixed income.

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But if you want to risk the nest egg on something, here’s a safe bet:

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Related Words

• cache 
• reserve fund www.thesaurus.com
• savings www.thesaurus.com
• savings account 
• stash 
• stockpile