The spelling of the word "suckling" can be a bit confusing due to the silent "k" in the middle of the word. IPA phonetic transcription for this word is /ˈsʌk.lɪŋ/. The "s" is pronounced as "suh", followed by the "uh" sound for the first "u" in "suck". Then there's a "k" sound followed by the "lih" sound for the "l" and the "ih" sound for the final "i". The word is pronounced with two syllables and means a young animal that is still suckling milk from its mother.
Suckling is a noun that refers to a young mammal who is still nursing and getting nourishment from its mother. It can also be used as an adjective to describe an animal or human who is still in the stage of nursing. In the context of humans, a suckling is a baby or infant who is still breastfeeding.
The term is commonly used in the animal kingdom to describe the young offspring of various species, like farm animals and wildlife. It specifically emphasizes their dependency on suckling milk from their mother's teats for sustenance and growth.
Suckling plays a crucial role in the early stages of an animal's life, as it receives essential nutrients and antibodies through nursing. This process aids in the development of the young mammal's immune system and provides the necessary nourishment for its overall well-being.
In cultural and culinary contexts, the term "suckling" can also be used to describe a young animal that is prepared and consumed as food, typically referring to a suckling pig or lamb. These animals are usually slaughtered when they are still in the suckling stage, resulting in tender and succulent meat.
Overall, suckling refers to the phase of early development in which a young mammal nurses and derives nourishment from its mother, highlighting the importance of this natural bonding process in the animal kingdom.
A young child or animal brought up by the mother's milk; an infant.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "suckling" originated from the Middle English term "suckeling", which was derived from the Old English word "sucle" (pronounced "su-kuh-luh"). This Old English word means "young one" or "suckling", referring specifically to a young child or animal that is still nursing or sucking milk. The root of this word can be traced back to the Germanic word "sugan" which means "to suck". The term "suckling" has been in use since the 14th century and is still used today to refer to an infant or young animal that is suckling.