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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Four goslings twisted their downy necks to stare at me hard. Blair Braverman, Outside Online, 7 July 2025 Seeking to adapt to the world around her, Roz silently roams the human-less island amongst the forest animals before becoming an unlikely guardian to a newly hatched gosling named Brightbill (Kit Connor). Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025 Instead of constantly trying to scoop them out, Matthew Henry of Chesapeake, Virginia, decided to build makeshift stairs and patiently encourage the gaggle of goslings to use them. Seth Carnell, USA Today, 25 May 2025 The gosling was taken to a wildlife rescue but died shortly after. Anne Readel, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for gosling

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gosling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gosling. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

gosling

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

More from Merriam-Webster on gosling

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!