eierlegende

Eierlegende is the present participle form of the German verb eierlegen, meaning to lay eggs. In ordinary use it is a descriptive part of compounds, but it is most familiar in the idiom Eierlegende Wollmilchsau, literally “egg-laying wool-milk sow.” The word highlights the impossible combination of properties attributed to the animal in the saying.

Eierlegende Wollmilchsau is a well-known German metaphor for an all-in-one solution that would simultaneously satisfy multiple, often conflicting, requirements. The animal imagined in the phrase would provide eggs, wool, milk, and meat, making it an ideal yet fantastical creature. Because such a synthesis is biologically incompatible, the expression is used to critique proposals or products that promise to do everything at once.

Usage and meaning: the term is commonly employed in business, technology, policy, and everyday critique to label an idea, product, or plan as unrealistically all-encompassing. It can carry a humorous tone or a critical one, signaling skepticism about overambitious goals, scope creep, or the neglect of trade-offs.

Etymology and form: Eierlegende is derived from eierlegen (to lay eggs) and functions as an attributive adjective to Wollmilchsau in the canonical phrase. The complete expression emphasizes the inherent impossibility of combining many desirable traits into a single entity.

Related notions: in English, phrases like “holy grail,” “perfect solution,” or “all-in-one” convey a similar impulse, though without the specific animal imagery. The Eierlegende Wollmilchsau remains a pointed reminder of practical limits in design and planning.