nest egg
Americannoun
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money saved and held in reserve for emergencies, retirement, etc.
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a natural or artificial egg placed in a nest to induce a hen to continue laying eggs there.
noun
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a fund of money kept in reserve; savings
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a natural or artificial egg left in a nest to induce hens to lay their eggs in it
Etymology
Origin of nest egg
First recorded in 1600–10
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.
By the Labor Department’s own math, 1% in additional fees can shrink someone’s nest egg at retirement by 28%.
From Salon • Jul. 9, 2026
Kessler, 24, agreed to a four-year, $130 million contract, not a bad nest egg for newlyweds.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 6, 2026
It was supposed to be 83-year-old Ed Mansell's nest egg.
From BBC • Jun. 18, 2026
This works even at lower incomes, where the annuity holder might only have Social Security and a small nest egg.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 17, 2026
All considered, it may be in my best interest to fly the coop rather than sit on my current nest egg.
From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman
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.
