English edit

Etymology edit

From Middle English yerling, yerlyng, equivalent to year +‎ -ling. Cognate with Dutch jaarling (yearling), German Jährling (yearling).

Noun edit

yearling (plural yearlings)

  1. An animal that is between one and two years old; one that is in its second year (but not yet two full years old).
    a yearling lamb
    • 2021 August 25, Henry Fountain, Benjamin Rasmussen, “‘The Worst Thing I Can Ever Remember’: How Drought Is Crushing Ranchers”, in The New York Times[1], →ISSN:
      Tom Fettig and his wife, Kim, were there with 60 yearlings, about half of a herd they were helping their son raise on the outskirts of Bismarck.
  2. A racehorse that is considered to be one year old until a subsequent January 1st.
  3. (US) A sophomore at West Point military academy.
    Synonym: (slang) yuck
    • 1910, H. Irving Hancock, Dick Prescott's Second Year at West Point, page 84:
      "But is a plebe forbidden to stroll here?"
      "If a plebe did have the brass to try it," replied Anstey slowly, "I reckon he would have to fight the whole yearling class in turn."
    • 2014, Michael E. Haskew, West Point 1915 (page 57)
      As a yearling, he admitted to doing his part in ensuring that plebes knew their place at the Academy, []

Translations edit

Anagrams edit

French edit

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /jœʁ.liŋ/, /jiʁ.liŋ/

Noun edit

yearling m (plural yearlings)

  1. yearling

Further reading edit