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cygnet
[ sig-nit ]
noun
- a young swan.
cygnet
/ 藞蝉瑟伞苍瑟迟 /
noun
- a young swan
亚洲网紅露点 History and Origins
亚洲网紅露点 History and Origins
Origin of cygnet1
Example Sentences
Last year's count only found 94 cygnets, a major decline in the swan population.
Analysis of the GPS data shows that cygnets fly further to the southwest during autumn migration on colder days.
The British monarch鈥檚 annual 鈥渟wan upping鈥 鈥 a census of the fowl along a stretch of the River Thames 鈥 found a worrisome drop in cygnets from last year.
A historic royal census, known as "swan upping", has revealed a 40% drop in the number of cygnets on the River Thames, compared with last year.
In his scarlet jacket, Mr Barber is in charge of a flotilla of small boats that glide up the River Thames, stopping to count, weigh, measure and check the well-being of young swans, called cygnets.
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More About Cygnet
What does听cygnet mean?
A cygnet is a young swan.
The word cygnet is a general term for a young swan that鈥檚 used in the same way that the word duckling is used to refer to a young duck or the word gosling is used to refer to a young goose.
There are several different kinds of swans, including the mute swan, trumpeter swan, tundra swan, and whooper swan. The young of any swan species can be called cygnets.
Example: The ugly duckling in the fairy tale was actually a cygnet鈥攄ucklings don鈥檛 turn into swans, you know.
Where does听cygnet come from?
The first records of the word cygnet come from the 1400s. It comes from the Latin cygnus, from the Greek 办媒办苍辞蝉, meaning 鈥渟wan.鈥 This Latin root serves as the genus name for swans, as well as the name of the swan-shaped constellation Cygnus. The ending -et is used in nouns to indicate smallness. It鈥檚 used in the names of other young birds, as well, such as in eaglet (a young eagle) and owlet (a young owl). Baby swans can be called swanlings, but that term is very rare compared to cygnet.
People who don鈥檛 know their birds might see a cygnet and casually call it a duckling. But swans are not ducks鈥攖hey鈥檙e much bigger than most ducks, and cygnets are often a bit larger than ducklings. Cygnets reach adulthood after about one year.
Did you know ... ?
What are some synonyms for cygnet?
- young swan
What are some words that share a root or word element with cygnet?听
听
听
What are some words that often get used in discussing cygnet?
听
- swan
- duckling
- gosling
- baby
- bird
- mute swan
- trumpeter swan
- tundra swan
- whistling swan
- whooper swan
- pond
- water bird
What are some words cygnet may be commonly confused with?
听
听
How is听cygnet used in real life?
Cygnet as a technical name for a young swan isn鈥檛 as well known as words like duckling or gosling, so it鈥檚 most often used by people who know a little about birds.
Swan with cygnet on the lake.
鈥 Hoveton Hall Estate (@HovetonHall)
Mummy and Daddy Swan have babies! Hatched yesterday, on the river visiting and showing off the bevy when I got in today. 6 glorious little fluff pots of cygnet gorgeousness鈥
鈥 Plaingoldband (@plaingoldband)
Look mummy, my wings are huge! 馃榿
I took this Cygnet photo 14 years ago, & it's still one of the most popular shots I've ever taken! 馃槉
It was even sold as a Mother's Day card in John Lewis stores nationwide.
馃惁鈥 Carl Bovis (@CarlBovisNature)
听
听
Try using听cygnet!
True or False?听
A cygnet is the same thing as a duckling.
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