fledge

American  

[flej] / flɛdʒ /

verb (used with object)

fledged, fledging

1. to bring up (a young bird) until it is able to fly.

2. to furnish with or as if with feathers or plumage.

3. to provide (an arrow) with feathers.

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verb (used without object)

fledged, fledging

1. (of a young bird) to acquire the feathers necessary for flight.

adjective

1. Archaic. (of young birds) able to fly.

fledge British  

/ flɛdʒ /

verb

1. (tr) to feed and care for (a young bird) until it is able to fly

2. Also called: fletch.  (tr) to fit (something, esp an arrow) with a feather or feathers

3. (intr) (of a young bird) to grow feathers

4. (tr) to cover or adorn with or as if with feathers

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Other Word Forms

• fledgeless
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of fledge

1350–1400; Middle English flegge (fully-)fledged, Old English *flecge, as variant of -flycge; cognate with Old High German flucki, Middle Low German vlügge (> German flügge ); akin to fly ²

Explanation

When baby birds fledge, they grow feathers that are big enough for flying. Just after they fledge, birds take their first practice flights. You can use the verb fledge in several ways — first, to describe what happens when a bird's feathers grow in. A mother bird — or human — who cares for and raises a young bird can also be said to fledge it. You can also talk about the process of putting feathers on something, especially a hunting arrow, this way: "Once you fledge the arrow, you can use it with your bow." The Old English root word is flycge, "having feathers, or fit to fly."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fledge fledged fledging

He said he had not foreseen a time when he would be monitoring so many sites and "certainly not having 16 choughlets fledge".

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

On Tuesday at 16:00 BST, female 6T6 - which hatched in late May - became the first bird to fledge.

From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026

Managing people and predators around nesting beaches, with the modest goal of helping pairs of oystercatchers fledge half a chick more each year, brought a 45% population surge by 2023.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 1, 2026

Last year, the couple raised two daughters — Gizmo and Sunny — who went on to fledge.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 3, 2026

The eggs hatch around the first week in June, and the nestlings are ready to fledge in early July.

From "On the Far Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George

The longest he disappears for at the championships is 12 hours, said Davis, adding: "It is his playground, I mean, he pretty much fledged here at 18 weeks old."

From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026

Once their cores become hot and dense enough, hydrogen fusion will ignite, transforming them into fully fledged stars.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 5, 2026

“I was hoping they hadn’t fledged yet because they’re getting close. That’s an exciting time,” said Audrey Pope, of Santa Ana, who was with her husband, Brian.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2026

As a recently fledged bird hops around on the ground, unfamiliar choughs swoop down and gently herd it away to join them—that’s how desperate these birds are for helpers.

From Slate ● May 10, 2026

When I passed the qualification exam, I went to work as a fully- fledged attorney at the firm of H. M. Basner.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

“At this age where they have flight feathers or fledging feathers, they’re starting to branch out and learn how to fly and move around,” Evelo said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 17, 2026

Both types of weather can reduce body mass at fledging by as much as 3%.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 12, 2026

Antonio Tejero Molina, the Spanish Civil Guard officer who led a failed 1981 coup that ended up strengthening Spain's fledging democracy, has died aged 93, his family's lawyer said Wednesday.

From Barron's ● Feb. 25, 2026

Among the Facebook watchers excitement is building ahead of the expected fledging.

From BBC ● Nov. 7, 2025

Still, one reporter insisted on the superior knowledge of the fledging Commander Kane, “nothing had been left undone.”

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock