Easter egg

noun

plural Easter eggs
1
: an egg that is dyed and sometimes decorated and that is associated with the celebration of Easter
2
or less commonly Easter Egg or easter egg plural Easter Eggs or easter eggs : a hidden feature in a commercially released product (such as software or a DVD)
3
or less commonly Easter Egg or easter egg : a usually subtle callback (see callback sense 3) included to please fans
They certainly didn't disappoint …, littering the movie with a bunch of fun Easter eggs for fans of the video games and other cool inside jokes.—Craig Flaster

Examples of Easter egg in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
One woman wrote about the Easter egg hunts and breakfasts prepared by the men of the church. — Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 14 Oct. 2026 This story of an artificial intelligence in extreme existential crisis is primarily constructed for MCU superfans, the kind who get giddy over Easter eggs and can recite reams of backstory minutiae off the top of their domes. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 12 Oct. 2026 Swifties, four new tracks have officially landed—and, naturally, the internet is already filled with new hypotheses about all of the possible Easter eggs packed within their lyrics. — Meg Walters, InStyle, 26 Sep. 2026 Nancy Reagan invited Fonda to sign an Easter egg for the annual White House Easter Egg Roll. — Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for Easter egg

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1572, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Easter egg was circa 1572

Rhymes for Easter egg

See All Rhymes for Easter egg

Browse Nearby Words

Easter duty
Easter egg
Easter Even
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Easter egg.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Easter%20egg. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on Easter egg

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about Easter egg

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