Gorling

/ˈɡɔːrlɪŋ/ noun

Definition

A young or small gorilla, or a diminutive creature; possibly an archaic or dialectal term.

Etymology

Formed from 'gorilla' with the diminutive suffix -ling (from Old English -ling, used for young or small versions of creatures, as in 'duckling' and 'gosling'). This is an extremely rare or obsolete formation.

Kelly Says

The -ling suffix has been creating baby animal names for centuries—'duckling,' 'gosling,' 'seedling'—so theoretically 'gorling' should work perfectly even though nobody uses it for actual baby gorillas.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.