Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A young swan.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A young swan; specifically, in heraldry, a small swan.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Zoöl.) A young swan.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The immature young of a swan.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a young swan

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English cignet, from Anglo-Norman, diminutive of Old French cygne, swan, from Latin cygnus, from Greek kuknos.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English cignet, signet, from Anglo-Norman cignet, diminutive of Old French cigne ("swan"), from Latin cygnus, cycnus ("swan"), from Ancient Greek κύκνος (kýknos, "swan").

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Examples

  • The couple in the southern end of the lake, raising four brown cygnets, are trying to drive out the other family, which has one cygnet.

    Uncategorized Blog Posts 2009

  • Unbelievably, the cygnet appeared again, its tiny bill silently grabbing at the air.

    The Swans Chris Belden 2011

  • The couple in the southern end of the lake, raising four brown cygnets, are trying to drive out the other family, which has one cygnet.

    Steel Shot or Counseling for "Murderous" Swans? 2009

  • Despite their efforts, the cygnet was once again able to raise its head above the surface and screech.

    The Swans Chris Belden 2011

  • Sang Tan/Associated Press A captured cygnet was inspected at Bray.

    Counting the Queen's Swans 2009

  • Up to the mid-1800s, swan marking was akin to cow branding: A unique mark, carved into the beak of a newborn cygnet, designated ownership by a specific, chartered family or organization.

    Counting the Queen's Swans 2009

  • Up to the mid-1800s, swan marking was akin to cow branding: A unique mark, carved into the beak of a newborn cygnet, designated ownership by a specific, chartered family or organization.

    In Her Majesty's Service, Loyal Minion Courts the Queen's Swans on Thames 2009

  • Carl de Souza/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images The uppers collected a cygnet swan during their trip.

    Counting the Queen's Swans 2009

  • Sang Tan/Associated Press Swan uppers released a swan and a cygnet back onto the river at Bray, near Windsor, Monday.

    Counting the Queen's Swans 2009

  • Alas! my child, why fling thy arms around me, as a snowy cygnet folds its wings about the frail old swan?

    The Bacchantes 2008

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