fledgling
1
6.1
- adjective
- /ˈflɛdʒlɪŋ/
- We suspected that parent eagle owls might use them to judge the relative fitness of their young during their critical fledgling stage, and then allocate food to the fittest.
Examples
-
The eggs and fledgling turtles are on their own from the time the adult turtle leaves.
Blog text (5) -
I believe his destiny may lie within the mandate of my mission, but the fledgling hawk must be re-pinioned before he is ready to rejoin the Hunt.
Fiction book (1991) -
I am just a fledgling new to flight.
-
At this moment, six fledgling robins call me mother.
Fiction book (1998) -
The United States at Valley Forge in the winter of 1777-78, a fledgling baby born on July 4, 1776, and a real live nephew of Uncle Sam, barely a year old.
Academic text (1992) -
The fledgling bird took its first flight from the nest, fluttering awkwardly in the air.
-
As a fledgling artist, she was excited to showcase her first painting at the gallery.
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The fledgling hawks spread their wings, ready to soar into the sky for the first time.
Synonyms
38
5.3
Birds that have grown the feathers they need can fly
1
5.5
A bird with fully grown feathers that is ready to fly
1
4.8
Having all the feathers and strength needed to fly away from the nest
Having feathers for flying and still young
Antonyms
Compounds
How Mature
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Fledgling as an adjective comes from fledge 'to grow feathers' and means 'ready to fly', so it describes a young bird that has just developed the feathers needed for flight.