infertile eggs

Meanings

1. 1nounplural

   Eggs that have not been fertilized by a male and cannot develop into baby birds or animals.

   Grammar: Plural noun; use a plural verb: 'The infertile eggs were thrown away.' For one, say 'an infertile egg'.

   Patterns

   • infertile eggs from something
   • a batch of infertile eggs
   • lay infertile eggs

   The hen laid six eggs, but most of them were infertile eggs.

   If you candle the eggs, you can see which ones are infertile eggs.

   Infertile eggs are often sold for eating rather than for hatching.

2. 2nounpluralmedicalbiology

   Eggs that a woman's body releases but that are not fertilized by sperm.

   Grammar: Used mainly in medical or biology contexts; takes a plural verb.

   Patterns

   • release infertile eggs
   • infertile eggs are passed

   During a normal cycle, the body may release infertile eggs that are later passed.

   The doctor explained that infertile eggs cannot start a pregnancy on their own.

Common combinations

lay infertile eggs

Some female birds lay infertile eggs even without a mate.

candle the eggs

Farmers candle the eggs to separate fertile from infertile eggs.

a clutch of infertile eggs

The nest contained a clutch of infertile eggs.

infertile eggs for eating

These are infertile eggs for eating, not for the incubator.

Synonyms and how they differ

unfertilized eggs

The more technical term, common in science writing; 'infertile eggs' is more everyday.

addled eggs

Means eggs that have gone bad or contain a dead embryo, not simply eggs that were never fertilized.

Opposites

Word family

infertility noun

The condition of being unable to produce young or become pregnant.

infertile adjective

Describing land, a person, or an egg that cannot produce offspring or crops.

Commonly confused: infertile eggs or unfertilized?

Practice

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Write a sentence using “infertile eggs”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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