nursling

/'nə:sliɳ/ Cách viết khác : (nursling) /'nə:sliɳ/

Thân thiện

A nursling sleeps peacefully in its nurse's arms.

Definition

Noun: 1. An infant or young child who is being nursed or cared for: Specifically refers to a baby or very young child in relation to the person (nurse, nanny, or caregiver) who is feeding and tending to it. 2. A person or thing that is cherished, nurtured, or fostered: Used figuratively to describe someone or something that is being carefully protected, supported, or developed.

Usage and Examples

• Literal meaning (infant):

  • The nursling was completely dependent on its wet nurse for nourishment.
  • The gentle nanny sang lullabies to her quiet nursling.

• Figurative meaning (cherished person/thing):

  • The young artist was the nursling of the prestigious academy, receiving all its resources and attention.
  • This innovative project is the nursling of the research department.

Advanced Usage

• As a term of endearment or status: The word can imply a sense of tenderness, vulnerability, and special care.
  • He was the nursling of the family, always shielded from hardship.
• In literary or formal contexts: "Nursling" is more common in literary, historical, or formal writing than in everyday conversation. It often carries a poetic or old-fashioned tone.
  • The poet described the fledgling nation as the nursling of liberty.

Variants and Related Words

• Nurse (verb/noun): To feed a baby from the breast; to care for the sick; or the person who performs these actions. This is the root word.
• Nursery (noun): A room for young children; a place where young plants are grown.
• Nursing (noun/adj): The profession or act of providing medical care; the act of breastfeeding.

Synonyms

• Infant: A very young child.
• Suckling: A baby or young animal that is still feeding on its mother's milk.
• Charge: A person or thing entrusted to the care of someone.
• Protégé: A person who is guided and supported by an older, more experienced person.
• Ward: A person, especially a minor, under the care of a guardian.

Notes on Meaning

• The core meaning is relational, emphasizing the connection between the one being cared for (the nursling) and the one providing care (the nurse).
• The figurative use extends this idea to concepts, projects, or talents that are being carefully cultivated.

Học thuật

Noun

1. an infant considered in relation to its nurse

Từ đồng nghĩa

• nurseling
• suckling