Egg \Egg\ ([e^]g), n. [OE., fr. Icel. egg; akin to AS. [ae]g
   (whence OE. ey), Sw. [aum]gg, Dan. [ae]g, G. & D. ei, and
   prob. to OSlav. aje, jaje, L. ovum, Gr. 'w,o`n, Ir. ugh,
   Gael. ubh, and perh. to L. avis bird. Cf. {Oval}.]
   1. (Popularly) The oval or roundish body laid by domestic
      poultry and other birds, tortoises, etc. It consists of a
      yolk, usually surrounded by the "white" or albumen, and
      inclosed in a shell or strong membrane.
      
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   2. (Biol.) A simple cell, from the development of which the
      young of animals are formed; ovum; germ cell.
      
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   3. Anything resembling an egg in form.
      
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   Note: Egg is used adjectively, or as the first part of
         self-explaining compounds; as, egg beater or
         egg-beater, egg case, egg ladle, egg-shaped, etc.
         
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   {Egg and anchor} (Arch.), see {egg-and-dart} in the
      vocabulary, below; -- called also {egg and dart}, and {egg  and tongue}. See {Anchor}, n., 5. --Ogilvie.

   {Egg cleavage} (Biol.), a process of cleavage or
      segmentation, by which the egg undergoes endogenous
      division with formation of a mass of nearly similar cells,
      from the growth and differentiation of which the new
      organism is ultimately formed. See {Segmentation of the  ovum}, under {Segmentation}.

   {Egg development} (Biol.), the process of the development of
      an egg, by which the embryo is formed.

   {Egg mite} (Zo["o]l.), any mite which devours the eggs of
      insects, as {Nothrus ovivorus}, which destroys those of
      the canker worm.

   {Egg parasite} (Zo["o]l.), any small hymenopterous insect,
      which, in the larval stage, lives within the eggs of other
      insects. Many genera and species are known.
      
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