Standard Lemma guide

birdling

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈbɜɹd.lɪŋ/

1

noun

Meaning 1

A little bird; especially, a baby bird.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Near-synonyms: birdlet, birdie, birb; chick, nestling, fledgling

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: birdlet, birdie, birb, chick, nestling, fledgling

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Turtle.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: rare

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From bird + -ling.

From Old English byrdling, from Proto-Germanic *burdilingaz. By surface analysis, board + -ling.

Across languages

Translations

20 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Esperanto: birdeto — small bird; birdie; nestling (young bird, baby bird)
  • Esperanto: virbirdeto — small bird; birdie; nestling (young bird, baby bird)
  • Esperanto: birdetino — small bird; birdie; nestling (young bird, baby bird)
  • French: oisillon — small bird; birdie; nestling (young bird, baby bird)
  • German: Piepmatz — small bird; birdie; nestling (young bird, baby bird)
  • German: Vögelchen — small bird; birdie; nestling (young bird, baby bird)
  • German: Vögelein — small bird; birdie; nestling (young bird, baby bird)
  • German: Vöglein — small bird; birdie; nestling (young bird, baby bird)
  • German: Vogerl — small bird; birdie; nestling (young bird, baby bird)
  • German: Jungvogel — small bird; birdie; nestling (young bird, baby bird)
  • German: Vogeljunges — small bird; birdie; nestling (young bird, baby bird)
  • Norwegian Bokmål: småfugl — small bird; birdie; nestling (young bird, baby bird)
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: småfugl — small bird; birdie; nestling (young bird, baby bird)
  • Tagalog: inakay — small bird; birdie; nestling (young bird, baby bird)
  • Volapük: bödil — small bird; birdie; nestling (young bird, baby bird)
  • Volapük: hibödil — small bird; birdie; nestling (young bird, baby bird)
  • Volapük: jibödil — small bird; birdie; nestling (young bird, baby bird)
  • Volapük: bödül — small bird; birdie; nestling (young bird, baby bird)
  • Volapük: hibödül — small bird; birdie; nestling (young bird, baby bird)
  • Volapük: jibödül — small bird; birdie; nestling (young bird, baby bird)