ugly duckling
English
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ugly duckling
- /ˈʌɡ.liː ˌdʌk.lɪŋ/ UK
- /ˈʌɡ.li ˌdʌk.lɪŋ/ Canada, US, Scotland
- /ˈɐɡ.liː ˌdɐk.lɪŋ/ Australia
- /ˈɐɡ.liː ˌdɐk.ləŋ/ New Zealand
Where it comes from
Calque of Danish grim ælling. From the fairy tale of a duckling, considered ugly, that matures into a magnificent swan.
noun ugly ducklings
- A young person who is ugly, but who is expected to become beautiful or handsome as they mature. The ugly duckling has become a very fine swan, and Rachel Sprigg and her team have worked hard to ensure that Derby is a worthy winner of that coveted National Rail Award. They can be proud of their achievements.
- Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see ugly, duckling.
Translations
Every language
noun one who is ugly, but who is expected to become beautiful or handsome as they mature
| Español | patito feo, patita fea |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 미운 오리 새끼 miun ori saekki |
| 日本語 | みにくいアヒルの子 minikui ahiru no ko |
| 中文 | 醜小鴨 /丑小鸭 chǒuxiǎoyā |
| Português | patinho feio, patinha feia |
| Français | vilain petit canard |
| Deutsch | hässliches Entlein |
| Italiano | brutto anatroccolo, brutta anatrocolla |
| Ελληνικά | ασχημόπαπο aschimópapo |
| Română | rățușca cea urâtă |
| Русский | га́дкий утёнок gádkij utjónok |
| العربية | بَطَّة قَبِيحَة |
Talk about this word "ugly duckling." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/ugly%20duckling. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. ugly duckling. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/ugly%20duckling "ugly duckling." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/ugly%20duckling.Cite this
@misc{ugly_duckling_2026,
title = {ugly duckling},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/ugly%20duckling},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
