duckling

[duhk-ling]

See more synonyms for duckling on Thesaurus.com

noun

a young duck.

Origin of duckling

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at duck¹, -ling¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for duckling

Contemporary Examples

In his six years in Paris, Lebovitz transforms himself from a clueless American duckling into a knowing Parisian swan.
An American in Paris—with Brownies
Kathleen Willcox
May 8, 2009

Historical Examples

“I think I will go out into the wide world,” said the Duckling.
Boys and Girls Bookshelf (Vol 2 of 17)
Various
And so the Duckling was admitted on trial for three weeks; but no eggs came.
Boys and Girls Bookshelf (Vol 2 of 17)
Various
What loveliness everywhere in a duckling sort of state just now.
Hortus Inclusus
John Ruskin
And she scratched the Duckling's neck, and stroked his whole body.
Favorite Fairy Tales
Logan Marshall
"That is because I am so ugly," thought the Duckling, shutting his eyes, but he ran on.
Favorite Fairy Tales
Logan Marshall

British Dictionary definitions for duckling

duckling

noun

a young duck

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

Word Origin and History for duckling

n.

mid-15c., dookelynge, from duck (n.) + -ling. The ugly duckling is from Hans Christian Andersen's tale (1843 in Danish, by 1846 in English).

duckling

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}duckling

Examples from the Web for duckling

Contemporary Examples

In his six years in Paris, Lebovitz transforms himself from a clueless American duckling into a knowing Parisian swan.

Historical Examples

“I think I will go out into the wide world,” said the Duckling.

And so the Duckling was admitted on trial for three weeks; but no eggs came.

What loveliness everywhere in a duckling sort of state just now.

And she scratched the Duckling's neck, and stroked his whole body.

"That is because I am so ugly," thought the Duckling, shutting his eyes, but he ran on.

duckling

Word Origin and History for duckling

n.

Origin of duckling