youngling
English edit
Etymology edit
From Middle English youngling, ȝongelyng, ȝungling, from Old English ġeongling (“a youth, youngling”), from Proto-West Germanic *jungiling, from Proto-Germanic *jungalingaz, *jungilingaz (“young man, youngling”); equivalent to young + -ling. Doublet of Yngling.
Pronunciation edit
Adjective edit
youngling (comparative more youngling, superlative most youngling)
- (archaic) Young; youthful.
- Synonyms: see Thesaurus:young
Translations edit
Noun edit
youngling (plural younglings)
- A young person, animal, or plant; chit.
- 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto X”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 52:
- More dear […] than younglings to their dam.
- 1556, Nicholas Ridley, conference with Hugh Latimer:
- He will not be so willing, I think, to join with you, as with us younglings.
- 2005 May 19, George Lucas, “Star Wars: Episode III ”, “Revenge of the Sith”, Lucasfilm
- Obi-Wan Kenobi: I have seen a security hologram of him...killing younglings.
Synonyms edit
- See also Thesaurus:youngling (animal) or Thesaurus:child (human)