yearling
Americannoun
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an animal in its second year.
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a horse one year old, dating from January 1 of the year after the year of foaling.
adjective
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being a year old.
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of a year's duration or standing.
a yearling bride.
noun
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the young of any of various animals, including the antelope and buffalo, between one and two years of age
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a thoroughbred racehorse counted for racing purposes as being one year old until the second Jan 1 following its birth
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a bond that is intended to mature after one year
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( as modifier )
yearling bonds
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adjective
Etymology
Origin of yearling
1425–75; late Middle English; see year, -ling 1; cognate with German Jährling
Explanation
A yearling is a young horse, older than a foal but not yet two years old. Yearlings are generally too young to ride. While the word yearling usually refers to a filly or a colt — a horse between the ages of one and two, of either sex — you can use it to talk about any animal of that age. It might sound a little funny, but go ahead and describe your one year old cat as a yearling. The word combines year, from the Old English gear, and the diminutive suffix -ling, which is often used in words describing young animals, like gosling and duckling.
Vocabulary lists containing yearling
War Horse
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Shout
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This Week In Culture: November 9–15, 2019
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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.
Jacqui Short Boyce spotted the yearling lying on its back while passing by the field on Wednesday.
From BBC • Mar. 13, 2026
When Flag is on the verge of becoming a yearling, Jody’s father says, “He’ll be like a person standin’ on the state line.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 2026
The first time they tried this multi-entity approach was 2018 and they sent Baffert to the Keeneland yearling sale with about $9 million and he bought 17 colts.
From Los Angeles Times • May 16, 2024
Researchers also documented more recent cougar kills: a seven-year-old female wolf in 2019, the yearling female in early September of last year, and then a wolf pup later that month.
From National Geographic • Aug. 25, 2023
He had nearly achieved his goal of buying every single Hard Tack yearling on the market.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
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.
