fledge

C2 Topic:Animals

US /flɛdʒ/ UK /flɛdʒ/ See IPA manual

Freq #161416

Meanings

1

verb
of a young bird, to develop the feathers needed for flight or become able to fly

Most chicks fledge about five weeks after hatching.
2

verb
to raise and care for a young bird until it can fly independently

The pair may fledge three chicks in a successful season.
3

verb
to fit an arrow with feathers or vanes that stabilize its flight

The bowyer used matching feathers to fledge each arrow.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · of a young bird, to develop... grow featherstake flight

2 verb · to raise and care for a... rear raise

3 verb · to fit an arrow with... fletchfeather

Word family

Forms fledgedunfledged

Derived forms fledglingfledgelessfull-fledgedunfledged

Related forms fletchfletcherfeather flight

Etymology

From Middle English flegge or flygge and an unattested Old English flycge, 'able to fly,' from a Germanic adjective related to fly. English developed verbs for acquiring flight feathers, rearing a bird to that stage, and furnishing an arrow with feathers; fledgling and full-fledged preserve the same family.

Topics

Animals

External links

# fledge

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /flɛdʒ/
**IPA (UK):** /flɛdʒ/
**Frequency rank:** 161416

## Meanings
1. of a young bird, to develop the feathers needed for flight or become able to fly
2. to raise and care for a young bird until it can fly independently
3. to fit an arrow with feathers or vanes that stabilize its flight

## Examples
- Most chicks fledge about five weeks after hatching.
- The pair may fledge three chicks in a successful season.
- The bowyer used matching feathers to fledge each arrow.

## Synonyms
- grow feathers
- rear
- raise
- fletch
- feather

## Derived Forms
- fledgling
- fledgeless
- full-fledged
- unfledged

## Related Forms
- fletch
- fletcher
- feather
- flight

## Etymology
From Middle English flegge or flygge and an unattested Old English flycge, 'able to fly,' from a Germanic adjective related to fly. English developed verbs for acquiring flight feathers, rearing a bird to that stage, and furnishing an arrow with feathers; fledgling and full-fledged preserve the same family.

## Topics
- Animals

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