fledge

[ flej ]

verb (used with object),fledged, fledg·ing.
  1. to bring up (a young bird) until it is able to fly.

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

  1. to provide (an arrow) with feathers.

verb (used without object),fledged, fledg·ing.
  1. (of a young bird) to acquire the feathers necessary for flight.

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

Origin of fledge

1
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 fly2

Other words from fledge

  • fledgeless, adjective

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How to use fledge in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for fledge

fledge

/ (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

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

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

Origin of fledge

1
Old English -flycge, as in unflycge unfledged; related to Old High German flucki able to fly; see fly 1

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012