fledge

American  

[flej] / flɛdʒ /

verb (used with object)

fledged, fledging

1. to bring up (a young bird) until it is able to fly.

2. to furnish with or as if with feathers or plumage.

3. to provide (an arrow) with feathers.

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verb (used without object)

fledged, fledging

1. (of a young bird) to acquire the feathers necessary for flight.

adjective

1. Archaic. (of young birds) able to fly.

fledge British  

/ flɛdʒ /

verb

1. (tr) to feed and care for (a young bird) until it is able to fly

2. Also called: fletch.  (tr) to fit (something, esp an arrow) with a feather or feathers

3. (intr) (of a young bird) to grow feathers

4. (tr) to cover or adorn with or as if with feathers

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Other Word Forms

• fledgeless adjective

Etymology

Origin of fledge

1350–1400; Middle English flegge (fully-)fledged, Old English *flecge, as variant of -flycge; cognate with Old High German flucki, Middle Low German vlügge (> German flügge ); akin to fly ²

Example Sentences

Once eaglets fledge, some return the same day and others return in a few days.

From Los Angeles Times • May 30, 2025

It gave up its life within minutes of your birth, because that was its evolved aim—to grow you out of your birth mother so that you could fledge the maternal cavity.

From Slate • Sep. 7, 2024

When the “Expedia falcons” are ready to fledge, representatives from Urban Raptor will band the birds and track their migratory routes.

From Seattle Times • May 25, 2024

“As those chicks fledge, they will then disperse widely across Australia,” he says.

From Science Magazine • Nov. 21, 2023

The eggs hatch around the first week in June, and the nestlings are ready to fledge in early July.

From "On the Far Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George