Yuckling

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A small, young or slightly disgusting creature, named from the word yuck and the diminutive suffix ling
2. Something little and unpleasant, especially a young creature that seems repellent to the people who see it
3. A tiny, nasty-looking creature, often a young one, that provokes a feeling of disgust in onlookers

Etymology: In some northern English and Scottish dialects, the yolk of an egg is called a "yuck," a descendant of the Old English "geoloca," which is related to "geolu," meaning yellow. The yolk's name thus records its colour. Adding the diminutive suffix "-ling," as in "duckling" or "gosling," to that dialect base gives "yuckling," most likely a small yellow creature, such as a chick or a young bird. The suffix does the same job it does in "duckling": it marks something small and young.