noun
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a young bird that has just fledged
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Etymology
Origin of fledgling
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.
Vocabulary lists containing fledgling
Words of a Feather: Unflappable Avian Vocabulary
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I'm New Here...
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The Secret Garden
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Giannoulias, who pushed for the law after he said he and his young daughters were almost struck by an e-moto on a sidewalk, said he wasn’t trying to snuff out a fledgling form of transportation.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026
It could be a turning point for the fledgling government, but it’s very unclear in what direction.
From Slate • May 27, 2026
For a fledgling artist like Bailey Zabaglio, who most commonly performs electrocrash music at small house shows, Unusual Tuesday can be a time to experiment with other genres outside of their comfort zone.
From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026
As for Simons, in his fledgling career, the 23-year-old has scored five goals in senior football.
From BBC • May 14, 2026
He could tell that one was larger than the other; a mother, probably, teaching her fledgling how to hunt.
From "Hoot" by Carl Hiaasen
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
