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

Example Sentences

According to Walter Isaacson's biography of Jobs, Wayne, an engineer at the Atari video game company, was in charge of hardware engineering and documentation in the fledgling business.

From Barron's • Mar. 29, 2026

Hall, who has won two caps for his country, has yet to earn a call-up under Thomas Tuchel following an injury-disrupted period in his fledgling career.

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

Driven by Watt's marketing genius, the fledgling company pulled stunt after attention-seeking stunt, each crazier than the last, and they were rarely out of the news.

From BBC • Mar. 6, 2026

Getting access to outside capital can be even more crucial for fledgling firms, which have borne the brunt of the private-equity fundraising slump.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 3, 2026

Gilly patted the skinny, freckled arm and swept up the walk into the house, leaving the open-mouthed fledgling outside the gate.

From "The Great Gilly Hopkins" by Katherine Paterson

Related Words

• chick
• nestling