suckling

[suhk-ling]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR suckling ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

an infant or a young animal that is not yet weaned.

RELATED WORDS

infant, babe

Origin of suckling

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

Suckling

[suhk-ling]

noun

Sir John,1609–42, English poet.

suckle

[suhk-uh l]

verb (used with object), suck·led, suck·ling.

to nurse at the breast or udder.

to nourish or bring up.

to put to suck.

verb (used without object), suck·led, suck·ling.

to suck at the breast or udder.

Origin of suckle

1375–1425; late Middle English sucklen; see suck, -le

Related formsun·suck·led, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for suckling

Contemporary Examples of suckling

There is also a big demand for whole porcelets and suckling pigs, for the same reason.
The Queen of Foie Gras
David Lincoln Ross
December 29, 2010

Historical Examples of suckling

But when we come to Suckling's lines we find that there is a difference.
The Lyric
John Drinkwater
The phenomena of pregnancy, birth and suckling are known to all, so that I shall be brief.
The Sexual Question
August Forel
But I found a fierce and feverish delight in suckling my child.
The Woman Thou Gavest Me
Hall Caine
Her face is that of a lioness, and she is suckling two young lions at her breasts.
The Religion of Babylonia and Assyria
Morris Jastrow
She took me like a child of suckling time, And cradled me in roses.
Endymion
John Keats

British Dictionary definitions for suckling

suckling

noun

an infant or young animal that is still taking milk from the mother

a very young child

Word Origin for suckling

C15: see suck, -ling 1; related to Middle Dutch sūgeling, Middle High German sōgelinc

Suckling

noun

Sir John. 1609–42, English Cavalier poet and dramatist

suckle

verb

to give (a baby or young animal) milk from the breast or (of a baby, etc) to suck milk from the breast

(tr) to bring up; nurture

Derived Formssuckler, noun

Word Origin for suckle

C15: probably back formation from suckling

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 suckling

mid-15c., "an infant at the breast," from suck + diminutive suffix -ling. Cf. Middle Dutch sogeling, Dutch zuigeling, German Säugling. Meaning "act of breast-feeding" is attested from 1799.

suckle

c.1400, perhaps a causative form of Middle English suken "to suck" (see suck), or a back-formation from suckling (though this word is attested only from mid-15c.). Related: Suckled; suckling.