Nug

Nug is the shortened form of nugget and is used in English as informal slang or shorthand for several related and unrelated senses. The term is highly context-dependent and can denote a physical object, a food item, or a figurative piece of information.

In mineralogy and mining, a nugget refers to a naturally occurring lump of metal or ore, most famously a gold nugget. Gold nuggets form through geological processes and have historically been valued for their intrinsic metal content and for use in early mining claims and trade.

In cannabis culture, nug is slang for a cannabis flower bud. The term can apply to the dried flower from female cannabis plants and is often encountered in casual speech as “nug” or “nugs.” Potency, strain, and legality vary by jurisdiction and product.

In food contexts, nug is often short for nugget, most commonly chicken nugget. The shortened form appears in casual speech and in menus, particularly within fast-food settings or among slang-speaking communities.

In information usage, nugget or “nugget of information” describes a compact, valuable piece of data or insight. The phrase is common in education, journalism, and business discourse, with some speakers shortening it to “a nug.”

Etymology: Nug is a back-formation from nugget, which itself denotes a small chunk or lump and has developed multiple specialized senses in mining, consumer goods, and slang over time. See also nugget, disambiguation.