ugly duckling Hear it!

ugly duckling Definition

ugly duckling

noun

a very plain child or unpromising thing that in time becomes or could become beautiful, admirable, important, etc.

Etymology: from a story by Hans Christian Andersen about a supposed ugly duckling that turns out to be a swan

ugly duckling Usage Examples

Preposition: into

  • swan: And the transformation of Fran's ugly duckling into the beautiful swan is convincing.

Browse dictionary entries near ugly duckling

  1. ugly
  2. ugliness
  3. uglify
  4. Ugli fruit
  5. ugh
  6. Ugaritic
  7. Ugarit
  8. Uganda
  9. ufology
  10. UFO
  1. Ugrian
  2. Ugric
  3. UGS
  4. uh
  5. uh-huh
  6. uh-oh
  7. uh-uh
  8. UHF
  9. uhlan
  10. Uhland