Cygnet
/ˈsɪɡ.nɪt/noun
A young swan.
Did you know?The constellation Cygnus, meaning “Swan,” was associated in Greek mythology with several figures, including Zeus disguised as a swan and a grieving mortal transformed into one.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kwek-
“A reconstructed root associated with the call of a bird or swan; its exact reconstruction and relationship to later forms are debated.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
κύκνος (kýknos)
“Swan.”
Classical Latin
Latin
cygnus
“Swan; a literary variant of Latin olor.”
Old French
Old French
cigne / cygne
“Swan, borrowed from Latin cygnus.”
Middle English
English
cygnet
“A young swan, formed from French cygne with the diminutive suffix -et.”
Modern English
English
cygnet
“A young swan.”