eggshell
Americannoun
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the shell of a bird's egg, consisting of keratin fibers and calcite crystals.
-
a pale yellowish-white color.
-
rather bulky paper having a slightly rough finish.
adjective
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like an eggshell, as in thinness and delicacy; very brittle; fragile.
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being pale yellowish-white in color.
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having little or no gloss.
eggshell white paint.
noun
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the hard porous protective outer layer of a bird's egg, consisting of calcite and protein
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a yellowish-white colour
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a type of paper with a slightly rough finish
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(modifier) (of paint) having a very slight sheen
an eggshell finish
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to be very cautious or diplomatic for fear of upsetting someone
adjective
Etymology
Origin of eggshell
First recorded in 1250–1300, eggshell is from the Middle English word ayschelle. See egg 1, shell
Vocabulary lists containing eggshell
Non-Color Words to Use When Describing Color
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White
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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.
Observers spotted what appeared to be a pip — or breach in the eggshell — on Friday.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 5, 2026
A report from 2007 said it was feasible for influenza viruses to enter through the eggshell.
From Salon • Jun. 5, 2024
The McGill team discovered that, at a certain stage in the development of an egg prior to laying, the shell sends mineral nanospikes into the soft and compliant surface fibres of the underlying eggshell membrane.
From Science Daily • Feb. 14, 2024
But evolution can thicken and strengthen eggshell only so much because the shell must allow for gas exchange and the eventual exit of the hatchling.
From Scientific American • Aug. 15, 2023
The roof had cracked open like an eggshell and rain was pouring in.
From "The Lightning Thief" by Rick Riordan
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.
