nestling

Name: nestling, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/ˈnɛstlɪŋ/

//ˈnɛstlɪŋ// noun

By PlainSpell Editorial Team · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“nestling” is an uncommon English word, ranked #58,232 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#58,232
frequency rank, English: 8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A small, young bird that is still confined to the nest.

Key facts for nestling
Property	Value
Headword	nestling
Language	English
Part of speech	Noun
IPA	/ˈnɛstlɪŋ/
Letters	8
Frequency rank	#58,232
Misspellings tracked	0
Confusable pairs	0
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “nestling” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). nestling lands here:

#58,232

#1#100#1K#10K#100K

← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for nestling is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈnɛstlɪŋ/. Corpus data places it at rank #58,232 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

No misspelling variants are generated for nestling in our index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English nestling, equivalent to nest + -ling. The correct English form is nestling, spelled N-E-S-T-L-I-N-G.

Definition

1
A small, young bird that is still confined to the nest.
2
A nest; a receptacle.

Etymology

From Middle English nestling, equivalent to nest + -ling.

This word in other languages

oisillon(Français)Jungvogel(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "nestling"?

"nestling" is spelled N-E-S-T-L-I-N-G. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈnɛstlɪŋ/.

What does "nestling" mean?

As a noun, "nestling" means: A small, young bird that is still confined to the nest.

How do you pronounce "nestling"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "nestling" is /ˈnɛstlɪŋ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.

What is the origin of the word "nestling"?

From Middle English nestling, equivalent to nest + -ling. See the full etymology section above for more details.

Is PlainSpell free to use?

Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “nestling”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

The one correct English spelling is N-E-S-T-L-I-N-G - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /ˈnɛstlɪŋ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.