How do you pronounce eggshell?

The recorded pronunciation is /ˈɛɡʃɛl/.

Where does eggshell come from?

It is traced to Middle English.

eggshell

/ˈɛɡʃɛl/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 2.47 in modern English

Syllables: eggshell
IPA: /ˈɛɡʃɛl/

Scrabble Score

Letters

Syllables

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The shell around an egg.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A pale off-white colour, like that of the eggshell of many chickens.

Countable; Uncountable

adj

Of a pale yellowish-whitish colour, like that of the eggshell.

adj

Exhibiting the thinness, translucency or near-transparency, and fragility of an eggshell.

adj

Very matt, having a low reflexivity, like an eggshell.

Example Sentences

"Like Egge-ſhels mou'd upon their Surges, crack'd / As eaſily ’gainſt our Rockes."
"The ceiling panels are in off-white eggshell semi-matt finish."
"eggshell porcelain"
"This clear varnish is available in gloss, matt and eggshell finishes."

Etymology

From Middle English eggeshell, ege schelle, egg-shel, egg shelle (also as Middle English eye schell, ey-schel, ey-schelle), partially continuing Old English ǣġsċill, ǣġsċyll (“eggshell”), equivalent to egg + shell. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Oaierskil (“eggshell”), Dutch eierschaal (“eggshell”), German Eierschale (“eggshell”), Danish æggeskal (“eggshell”), Swedish äggskal (“eggshell”).

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: eggeshell, ǣġsċill

Usage

Inflected Forms

eggshells (plural) more eggshell (comparative) most eggshell (superlative)

Derived Forms

eggshellful

Phrases

eggshell blue eggshell rule walk on eggshells

Frequently Paired Words

robin's-egg blue

Synonyms

shell