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Definition of duckling

duckling

/ˈdʌk.lɪŋ/
duck · ling
Plural:ducklings
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duckling Lexical Profile

duckling Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A young duck, especially a newly hatched juvenile waterfowl of the family Anatidae covered in soft down feathers before growing flight plumage.

Example

"A line of fluffy yellow ducklings paddled across the quiet pond right behind their mother."

2

The tender meat of a young duck prepared and served as food.

Example

"The restaurant's signature dish is roast duckling served with a sweet orange glaze."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for duckling

• Rhymes for duckling

• Nearby Words

duck
duckbill
duckie
duckling
ducktail
duckwalk
duckweed

Word Origin & Etymology

Recorded since the 15th century in Middle English, formed from 'duck' (from Old English 'duce', literally 'diver') and the diminutive suffix '-ling', used to denote a young or small creature.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Duckling. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/duckling
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