ugly duckling Hear it!

ugly duckling definition

ugly duckling

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

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.