duckling

/ˈdʌklɪŋ/

Etymology

From Middle English dokeling, dukling, dookelynge (“duckling”), equivalent to duck + -ling.

noun

  1. A young duck.
  2. A young duck.; A young female duck.“Good night, darling; take that kiss to your respected mother, and tell her with my compliments that we can’t afford to make ducks and drakes of the romance of our little pet’s life: she will hatch those birds for herself in due time, and remain cluck-clucking, wisely, but sadly, like a perplexed old hen, when her ducklings and drakelings have unexpectedly taken the water.”