Nurselings

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Young children raised on milk or in care, often referring to infants or very young offspring in a nurturing context
2. Dependent young creatures, especially those that require feeding or parental care during their early life stages
3. Offspring, particularly of mammals, that are in the early stages of development and rely on adults for sustenance and protection

Etymology: "Nurselings" is simply the plural of "nurseling," so the history belongs to that singular form. A nurseling is something nursed: the word combines "nurse" with the diminutive suffix "-ling," the same ending found in "duckling" and "gosling," which marks a young or small thing. Taken together, the parts describe a child or young creature still being tended, which is why the word has come to cover young animals that depend on feeding and care as well as human infants.

Synonyms: infants, children