fledgling

American  

[flej-ling] / ˈflɛdʒ lɪŋ /

especially British, fledgeling

noun

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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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

According to the nonprofit Owl Research Institute, this stage is known as fledgling, when young birds leave the nest before they are fully capable of flight and begin exploring their surroundings.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026

Despite a fledgling oil and gas industry, Senegal relies heavily on importing fuel.

From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026

"I love the idea that by the end of this three-year project, revellers and runners will have created a fledgling Welsh forest, which could flourish for hundreds of years," she said.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

She pitched it to Lichtenberg and his now-manager at Fortune, Ashley Lutz, who experimented with the fledgling technology, but the initial results were unsatisfactory and the test was discontinued.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

The patrolman glanced up and saw, framed against the starlit sky, two winged silhouettes— the baby owl’s parents, anxiously circling their frightened fledgling.

From "Hoot" by Carl Hiaasen

Related Words

• chick
• nestling