Etymology

ugly duckling

ug·ly duck·ling

Today it means: A young person who is ugly, but who is expected to become beautiful or handsome as they mature. Full definition →

Danish grim ælling
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The story

  1. Danish · calque ofgrim ælling
  2. English todayugly duckling

Calque of Danish grim ælling. From the fairy tale of a duckling, considered ugly, that matures into a magnificent swan.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.