nestling
Americannoun
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a young bird not yet fledged
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( as modifier )
a nestling thrush
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any young person or animal
Etymology
Origin of nestling
First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English; see origin at nest, -ling 1
Explanation
A nestling is a baby bird that can't fly yet and tends to hang out in its — yes, you guessed it — nest. Nestlings have to be fed and cared for by their parents. From the moment a baby bird hatches from its egg, it is a nestling — and it remains a nestling until it learns to fly, when it officially becomes a fledgling. Some people fondly refer to young children as nestlings too. This noun adds the diminutive ending -ling (as in gosling for baby goose) to nest.
Vocabulary lists containing nestling
Growth, Development and Reproduction of Organisms - Middle School
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Growth, Development and Reproduction of Organisms - Introductory
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Growth, Development and Reproduction of Organisms - High School
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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.
In 2010, Kings of Leon were forced to cut short a performance in St Louis, Missouri, after a flock of pigeons nestling above the stage took a dislike to their act.
From BBC ● Mar. 13, 2026
One unexpected finding was that warmer extremes were linked to heavier fledging weights during the nestling stage.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 12, 2026
The study shows wildebeest frequently crisscross the Sand River and the areas surrounding the Ritz-Carlton, even though they avoid forested areas nestling the camp due to the risk of predators.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 20, 2025
Many years ago, her cat had escaped and came back with a hummingbird nestling.
From Salon ● Jan. 9, 2025
Dad was nestling little ferny claw plants into the chinks between the rocks.
From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
