fledgling

American  

[flej-ling] / ˈflɛdʒ lɪŋ /

especially British, fledgeling

noun

• fledglings
  plural

1. a young bird just fledged.

2. an inexperienced person.

   Synonyms:

   greenhorn, freshman, beginner, tyro, novice

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adjective

1. young, new, or inexperienced.

   a fledgling diver.

fledgling British  

/ ˈflɛdʒlɪŋ /

noun

1. a young bird that has just fledged

2. 1. a young and inexperienced or untried person, organization or system

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fledgling Scientific  

/ flĕj′lĭng /

1. A young bird that has just grown the feathers needed to fly and is capable of surviving outside the nest.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• fledglings
  plural

Etymology

Origin of fledgling

First recorded in 1820–30; fledge + -ling ¹

Explanation

A fledgling is a fuzzy baby bird just learning to fly, or someone (like a baby bird) who's brand new at doing something. Awww. If you're not talking about a baby bird, fledgling is often used as an adjective describing a new participant in something, like a fledgling senator still learning the ropes of how to legislate, or a fledgling drama program trying to build audiences for its plays. It can also mean inexperienced and young, like the fledgling photographer for the school paper who accidentally erases all the pictures. If you're British, spell it fledgeling if you like — both spellings are correct.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fledgling fledglings

Mining companies see enormous wealth in mineral deposits scattered across the seabed, but the fledgling industry has for years been held back by environmental concerns.

From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026

A fledgling startup is making a moonshot bid to take on Boeing, currently America’s only major maker of commercial airliners.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026

Yet the Commonwealth Games marks a major step forward in Amankwaah's fledgling career, and, as such, the aim is simple: "Just take in the whole experience," Amankwaah said.

From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026

These fledgling coaches come from all sorts of backgrounds.

From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026

Henrietta’s cells helped launch the fledgling field of virology, but that was just the beginning.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot

Their fledglings are about one third lighter, even though the warmest days they experience reach similar temperatures of about 16-17ºC.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 12, 2026

For most species once they've mated and their fledglings have left they sing less and focus on surviving the cold months.

From BBC ● Dec. 27, 2025

The early seeds of Owens Viani’s work on the issue began around 2011, when a neighbor ran over to tell her that Cooper’s hawk fledglings had drowned in his kiddie pool.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2024

Birdhouse owners say that they wait until the fledglings have left the nest before they harvest and that neither the parents nor their babies are harmed.

From New York Times ● Apr. 2, 2024

I had been right in giving a girl’s name to Lurai, for she laid speckled eggs and, with some help from her mate, hatched two ugly fledglings which soon became beautiful.

From "Island of the Blue Dolphins" by Scott O'Dell

Related Words

• chick
• nestling