yearling

noun

year·​ling ˈyir-liŋ 

ˈyər-lən

: one that is a year old: such as

a

: an animal one year old or in the second year of its age

b

: a racehorse between January 1 of the year after the year in which it was foaled and the next January 1

yearling adjective

Examples of yearling in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Taj Mahal was in the same yearling sale as Iron Honor (also a son of Nyquist) in September 2024 at Keeneland and sold for $50,000 more than his rival this week ($525,000 to $475,000). —Jay Posner, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2026

But as a two-year-old, Zedan offers a little bit more information than a yearling. —Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 1 May 2026

Owned by Robert Lehmann and his wife, Verna; trained by Don Combs; and ridden by Mike Manganello, the son of Bold Commander and the broodmare Dust Storm was a bargain-basement $6,500 acquisition at the September 1968 Keeneland yearling sale. —Neil Milbert, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026

Last year, however, bear cub intake surged to eight yearlings. —Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 20 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for yearling

• unfurling
• burling
• curling
• hurling
• pearling
• sperling
• sterling
• swirling
• twirling
• whirling

Kids Definition

yearling

noun

year·​ling ˈyi(ə)r-liŋ 

1

: one and especially an animal that is a year old or in the second year after birth

2

: a racehorse between January 1st of the year after the year in which it was born and the next January 1st

yearling adjective