gosling

American  

[goz-ling] / ˈgɒz lɪŋ /

noun

1. a young goose.

2. a foolish, inexperienced person.

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gosling British  

/ ˈɡɒzlɪŋ /

noun

1. a young goose

2. an inexperienced or youthful person

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Etymology

Origin of gosling

1375–1425; late Middle English goselyng; see goose, -ling ¹; cognate with Old Norse gæslingr

Explanation

A baby goose is called a gosling. If you visit a farm in the springtime you'll get to see all the calves, ducklings, lambs, chicks, and goslings! The word gosling has Scandinavian roots — it comes from the Old Norse gæslingr, adding a diminutive suffix to gos, or "goose." So a gosling is essentially a "gooseling," like a duckling, a smaller and cuter version of an animal. Goslings hatch from eggs in nests built close to a body of water, and they are taught to swim and feed in the water almost immediately after they hatch.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

gosling

Roz adopts an abandoned gosling that she names Brightbill, and the man-made machine is now a mother, flooded with compassion for her young charge.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 11, 2025

They schedule its care, using dormitory lamps to warm the unhatched gosling, which James names Crookshanks.

From New York Times ● Jan. 18, 2022

Taz the emu and Alfred the kid were born around the same time, and have now added gosling Wiggle to their gang at Caenhill Countryside Centre in Devizes, Wiltshire.

From BBC ● Apr. 1, 2021

“He’s good,” said Steve Gross, the District resident who in May found the gosling alone on the Chesapeake Bay and took him home to his condo, fearful he’d be eaten by a predator.

From Washington Post ● Dec. 29, 2015

“Make sure Brightbill gets plenty of rest. A tired gosling is a cranky gosling!”

From "The Wild Robot" by Peter Brown