a very plain child or unpromising thing that in time becomes or could become beautiful, admirable, important, etc.
Origin of ugly duckling
from a story by Hans Christian Andersen about a supposed ugly duckling that turns out to be a swanugly duckling
ugly ducklingWebster's New World College Dictionary, Fifth Edition Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Link to this page
Cite this page
MLA Style
"ugly duckling." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 07 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/ugly-duckling>.
APA Style
ugly duckling. (n.d.). Retrieved December 07th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/ugly-duckling
ugly duckling
noun
One that is considered ugly or unpromising at first but has the potential to become beautiful or admirable in maturity.
Origin of ugly duckling
After The Ugly Duckling , a story by Hans Christian AndersenTHE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Link to this page
Cite this page
MLA Style
"ugly duckling." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 07 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/ugly-duckling>.
APA Style
ugly duckling. (n.d.). Retrieved December 07th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/ugly-duckling
Noun
(plural ugly ducklings)
Origin
From a fairy tale of a duckling, considered ugly, that matures into a magnificent swan.
English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.
Link to this page
Cite this page
MLA Style
"ugly duckling." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 07 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/ugly-duckling>.
APA Style
ugly duckling. (n.d.). Retrieved December 07th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/ugly-duckling
