Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

better an egg today than a hen tomorrow

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.49 in modern English

Syllables: bet-ter an eg-g -to-day than a hen -to-mor-row
IPA

51

Scrabble Score

32

Letters

8

Syllables

13

Unique Chars

Meaning

proverb

It is better to have a sure thing now than a possibility of more later.

Etymology

Calque of Latin ad praesens ova cras pullis sunt meliora, from Gargantua and Pantagruel by Rabelais.

Phrases

sell one's birthright for a mess of pottage

Frequently Paired Words

sell one's birthright for a mess of pottage

Synonyms

a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush take the cash and let the credit go

Questions

What does better an egg today than a hen tomorrow mean?: It is better to have a sure thing now than a possibility of more later.
Where does better an egg today than a hen tomorrow come from?: Calque of Latin ad praesens ova cras pullis sunt meliora, from Gargantua and Pantagruel by Rabelais.

How to pronounce better an egg today than a hen tomorrow

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