gosling

noun

gos·​ling ˈgäz-liŋ How to pronounce gosling (audio)
ˈgȯz-,
-lən
1
: a young goose
2
: a foolish or callow person

Examples of gosling in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The eggs hatch around March, and the birds get extra aggressive when protecting their goslings. Hailey Branson-Potts, Los Angeles Times, 22 Sep. 2023 Three goslings were crossing a busy street in Peabody when they were run over by a speeding car earlier this week in front of several residents who were out heading to work or school, city officials said Thursday. Adam Sennott, BostonGlobe.com, 1 June 2023 The goslings were with a group of geese when they were struck Tuesday morning on Winona Street in West Peabody, said Ward 6 City Councilor Mark O’Neill. Adam Sennott, BostonGlobe.com, 1 June 2023 From the tiniest gosling and the novice directors to the design set and stage production, this stage adaptation of the best-selling children's novel received a standing ovation, engaging the hearts and minds of the audience. Eplunus Colvin, Arkansas Online, 3 May 2023 In this view, there is nothing wrong with our gosling at all. Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 12 June 2020 Sergeant Jackie Noonan was squaring away paperwork when the call came in, just her and the gosling, Pronsius Swift, in Ballina Garda Station. Colin Barrett, The New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2021 This gosling broke away from a pack of birds and hid behind the leg of a bench for a few seconds before poking its little head out to say hello. Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 5 Sep. 2021 Sadly, the little gosling was found dead just a few months later. Nora McGreevy, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 July 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gosling.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from gos goose

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of gosling was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near gosling

Cite this Entry

“Gosling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gosling. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

gosling

noun
gos·​ling ˈgäz-liŋ How to pronounce gosling (audio)
ˈgȯz-,
-lən
: a young goose

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