fledgling

[ flej-ling ]

noun

1. a young bird just fledged.
2. an inexperienced person.

   Synonyms: greenhorn, freshman, beginner, tyro, novice

adjective

1. young, new, or inexperienced:

   a fledgling diver.

fledgling

/ ˈflɛdʒlɪŋ /

noun

1. a young bird that has just fledged
2. 1. a young and inexperienced or untried person, organization or system

fledgling

/ flĕj′lĭng /

1. A young bird that has just grown the feathers needed to fly and is capable of surviving outside the nest.

Word History and Origins

Origin of fledgling¹

First recorded in 1820–30; fledge + -ling ¹

Example Sentences

The nature of this apparently fledgling romantic relationship soon took a darker turn when ‘Charlie’ asked Wragg to send him the phone numbers of other men who worked in Parliament.

From BBC

In 1989, when climate politics was still fledgling, he warned that the effects of warming were going to prove explosive along America’s borders — and that, left unresolved, communities could disintegrate into violence.

From Salon

He bounced around several agencies in the North West, gaining experience as a fledgling agent, building contacts and eventually he set up his own business.

From BBC

He had holed thousands of such putts on his way to joining Europe’s elite tour; now he needed one more to keep his fledgling career afloat.

From BBC

Could the music industry do more to help fledgling artists, and are things now changing?

From BBC

Related Words

• chick
• nestling