bantling

[ bant-ling ]

noun

1. a very young child.

bantling

/ ˈbæntlɪŋ /

noun

1. archaic.
   a young child; brat

Word History and Origins

Origin of bantling¹

First recorded in 1585–95, bantling is from the German word Bänkling illegitimate child. See bench, -ling ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of bantling¹

C16: perhaps from German Bänkling illegitimate child, from Bank bench + -ling ¹

Example Sentences

That bothersome bantling, the big Irish baby, Is tucked up in bed for a long forty winks.

From Project Gutenberg

There are some persons who are of too fastidious a turn of mind to like anything long, or to assent twice to the same opinion. —— always sets himself to prop the falling cause, to nurse the rickety bantling.

From Project Gutenberg

The intelligently pious Tillotson wishes Mother Church well rid of the bantling; and poor George the Third himself, with all his immense genius for orthodoxy, could not take kindly to it.

From Project Gutenberg

The Catholic clergy grew suspicious of the reformers who extolled the conduct of France, because the new r�gime had produced Free Thought, or rather had endowed the bantling with strength which the great Voltaire had nourished.

From Project Gutenberg

You see it will not fit anything else except another lie that you make, and you have to start a factory in a short time to make lies enough to support that poor little bantling that you left on the door-step of your honesty.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• child
• kid
• newborn
• toddler