chicken-and-egg

adjective

chick·​en-and-egg ˈchi-kᵊn-ən(d)-ˈeg How to pronounce chicken-and-egg (audio)
-ˈāg
: of, relating to, or being a cause-and-effect dilemma

Examples of chicken-and-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.
The total includes 38,000 new chargers — both DC fast-chargers and slower, Level 2 chargers — that were turned on in 2024, according to the federal Joint Office of Energy and Transportation. State of play: EVs and charging have been a chicken-and-egg problem that's now getting a little easier. — Thomas Wheatley, Axios, 30 Jan. 2025 There is the obvious chicken-and-egg nature of football fandom to consider. — Jordan Campbell, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

from the proverbial question "which came first, the chicken or the egg?"

First Known Use

1857, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of chicken-and-egg was in 1857

Rhymes for chicken-and-egg

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Browse Nearby Words

chicken's-toes
chicken-and-egg
chickenberry
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Cite this Entry

“Chicken-and-egg.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chicken-and-egg. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.

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